I've spent hours going through all the setting to learn what everything does, I came across this button looking thing (see picture - the little black button in the middle of the marked buttons) not sure what it does and can't find it in the manuals.

 

Just like you can lock people in the car you can also eject them. This is the passenger eject button!

 

My MA says its a sensor. Don't know what kind though.

 

eject would be cool....

 

Probably senses when someone is trying to figure out what it does...

 

"What's this button for?"

It sounds like some famous last words!

Dave

 

Ambient light sensor to adjust brightness of the dash? Down there it's less likely to be subject to quick brightness level changes from streetlights and such. Not that I've ever had trouble with the auto brightness on my R55.

Alternate: is there an IR remote option? Not that I'm sure what the point would be in a MINI...

 

could it be the interior movement sensor for the alarm system?

 

These cars have auto dimming dash lights?? How neat.

 

Yup! On the R56 series, there is a light sensor on the tach. Looks like a small black circle. Cover it up, and the entire dash light system dims.

I discovered this one day when I was driving and propped my phone sideways over the tach to use it as a GPS nav. A minute later I realized I could hardly see any of the LCD screens. Moved phone, back to full bright they went.

(I think the R50/52/53 had this too but am not certain.)

The fact that you never noticed is evidence of excellent product design. "It just works," as the saying goes.

 

Oh no, you got one of the cars equipped with a pervert's eye view interior camera. Your personal particulars may be appearing on a dubious web site as we speak......

 

Maybe you found the "special knowledge" required to escape if locked in the car. If we really want to know, although this should be done at your own risk and not really endorsed by anybody, place a piece of tape over it and see what stops working. Maybe start by locking yourself inside.

Seriously, just looking at the manual, it doesn't appear in the picture for the manual climate control, so maybe it's a sensor for the automatic climate control, but a sensor for what ???

 

Right, it's not on my manual AC.

 

Temperature sensor for automatic climate control. Had the same in my 135.

 

So it is an infrared sensor? How does it distinguish between body heat (skin is 80–95°, depending on location), interior surface heat, and the occasional direct hit via the sunroof?

I don't disbelieve you. I'm just surprised that the technique works. Maybe it just uses a 60sec running average?

 

or
Some bloke at the Mini World Headquarters is watching every move you make. Your warranty may be canceled at any time.

 

Kinda like how that big "Bluetooth" microphone is only on when using your phone...