Car companies just follow trends to make the consumer happy.
When smoking was popular, every car came with a cigarette lighter and plenty of ashtrays. Now that smoking is grossly unpopular, you have to pay extra to get a "smoker's package" in many cars. (even my '99 SC1 had a removable ashtray that fit in a cupholder).
Recent studies have shown that people talking on the phone whilst driving are worse than drunk drivers. However, it's perfectly okay for a soccer mom to pull her enormous SUV into a busy intersection with a phone plastered to her ear. But God forbid she be sipping a pint!
Besides, mounting my phone any place but my ear is good
(I'm actually just a big wuss afraid of scratching my precious phone on my seatbelt)
