Chinese car maker granted patent for voice activated in-vehicle TOILETS
Thomas Crapper is moving out; There’s a new toilet patent in town. And it’s literally going places.
In a bizarre example of automotive engineering (and what could easily be considered an April Fool’s joke), a Chinese carmaker has been granted a patent for installing voice-activated ‘in-car toilets’ in its electric vehicles.
Chinese electric SUV brand Seres has invented a waste disposal unit that slides under the passenger seat so passengers can go to the toilet on the go.
Given that UK car buyers are already enamored with some of the latest technology offered by Chinese newcomers, from cabin fridges to parcel racks that transform into cinema screens, this revolutionary device may be too off-putting for shy Brits.
Although the technology has been patented, Seres, which sells cars mainly in mainland China but has also expanded into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, has not confirmed whether any of its cars will feature a toilet as standard.
Is this a pipe dream or will we see an example of these in electric vehicles soon?
The patent for this ‘in-car toilet’ design was received by Chinese electric SUV manufacturer Seres. It will allow people to use a vehicle to go to the toilet on the go
According to a file at the National Intellectual Property Administration of China, Seres’ in-car toilet slides open from under the passenger seat and can be accessed with a button or voice command.
The waste is collected in a tank that must be emptied manually, similar to a caravan or motorhome toilet.
The company notes that the in-car toilet also has a rotating heating element so that urine and other waste can be dried and evaporated.
When bladders are not bursting and access to the toilet is not required, the toilet is hidden under the passenger seat, taking up none of the space required for leg room..
If you’re wondering about the ‘smoke’ issue, according to the patent, the toilet will come with a fan and exhaust pipe to blow odors out of the car.
Then there’s no need for Febreze in the car, but you may want to turn off your air conditioning when you’re exposed to the wind of a Seres car on the highway.
The designs show the in-car toilet slides out from under the passenger seat and can be accessed by pressing it or using voice commands.
Seres sells cars mainly in mainland China but has also expanded into Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It’s yet to be confirmed whether any cars will come with interesting waste disposal features
It will not be the first in-car toilet…
Anyone who owns a caravan, camper, or endures long-distance bus trips will get used to the idea of accessing such amenities on the go.
But loosenings in smaller passenger cars are very rare, and for good reason.
A well-known example of a toilet in a car is the 1954 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith, which recently changed hands at auction.
This one-off 1954 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith was specially commissioned by an American inventor to have a number of unique features that allowed him to broker deals without interruption on the move.
The gold-plated toilet hidden under the passenger seat cushion was also – rather disgustingly – used as a champagne cooler. The car sold for £110,000 at auction last year
The car was commissioned by American inventor Joseph J Mascuch. The broker has been making deals on the go without interruption in the fifties.
This includes the ability to make calls from the car’s intercom and relieve yourself without having to pull over.
In a rather disgusting turn of events, the gold-plated toilet hidden under the passenger seat cushion was also used as a champagne cooler.
The car sold for €126,500 (about £110,000) at the RM Sotheby’s event in Milan last year.
There are also numerous online blogs dedicated to creating your own DIY toilet-to-passenger seat conversion.
The website SUVRVing.com gives you a step by step guide on ‘How to add a toilet to a Subaru Forester for SUV camping’.
However, this method is not patented.
