Curious hole in the overhead panel: what's it for?

[wompser]

I'm doing a little bit of exploration about mounting stuff to the "empty" section of the overhead switch panel. (more on that later!)

but as I was poking around, I found an interesting "hole in the overhead switch panel, and curious if anyone knows it's purpose. it seems far too intentional not to have a function.

Basically, it's the round hole in between the two front map lights. On the plastic covers it has a mesh over it:

but the hole extends through the backing plate and goes up to the underside of the roof. It

almost aligns to the antenna mount, but not quite. is this maybe for ventilation to the space in-between the ceiling and the roof? something else? Also of note, the INEOS seems to have a microphone for both the driver and passenger tucked up there. I know that people have complained that the microphone is not great quality, it seems easy to access the physical microphone if it were to be replaced with something else compatible.

 

[DaveB]

I'm doing a little bit of exploration about mounting stuff to the "empty" section of the overhead switch panel. (more on that later!)

but as I was poking around, I found an interesting "hole in the overhead switch panel, and curious if anyone knows it's purpose. it seems far too intentional not to have a function.
View attachment 7892365
View attachment 7892366

Basically, it's the round hole in between the two front map lights. On the plastic covers it has a mesh over it:

but the hole extends through the backing plate and goes up to the underside of the roof. ItView attachment 7892367 almost aligns to the antenna mount, but not quite. is this maybe for ventilation to the space in-between the ceiling and the roof? something else? Also of note, the INEOS seems to have a microphone for both the driver and passenger tucked up there. I know that people have complained that the microphone is not great quality, it seems easy to access the physical microphone if it were to be replaced with something else compatible.

I think it related to the original Thatcham security system which had a speaker/microphone in that location allowing you to talk to emergency services in a crash without use of a phone.
That is memory only going back 3-5 years ago