UK Media: Chinese Auto Manufacturer Gains New Patent for Voice-Controlled "In-Car Toilet"
Chinese automaker Seres has obtained a patent for a device dubbed the "in-car toilet," which can slide beneath passenger seats to allow users to relieve themselves during long journeys.
In a patent application submitted to China on April 10, Seres engineers wrote that this feature aims to "meet users' restroom needs in scenarios such as long-distance travel, camping, and living inside vehicles."
Seres, headquartered in Chongqing, a southwestern city in China, has not yet announced any vehicle models equipped with an in-car toilet, and it remains uncertain whether such vehicles will be produced.
To stand out in a fiercely competitive market, Chinese electric vehicles are increasingly incorporating various non-traditional features—such as built-in massage seats, karaoke systems, and in-car refrigerators.
The patent application reveals Seres’ design for an in-car toilet that can emerge from under the passenger seat via a press or voice command.
According to documents filed with China’s National Intellectual Property Administration seen by BBC, the in-car toilet will include a fan and exhaust pipe to vent unpleasant odors within the cabin.
Wastewater is collected in a manually emptied waste tank. Additionally, the toilet features a rotating heating element designed to evaporate urine and dry other waste materials.
When not in use, the toilet remains hidden beneath the seat, maximizing interior space without occupying additional room.
While in-car toilets remain rare and are primarily found in long-distance coaches, they are not unheard of in passenger cars.
According to Sotheby’s auction house, special editions of the Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith from the 1950s featured built-in televisions and toilets located beneath the passenger seats.
Seres and its subsidiary AITO are known for producing electric sport utility vehicles (SUVs)—vehicles that are larger in size, have higher ground clearance, and offer greater cargo capacity.
Seres’ vehicles are mostly sold in mainland China but have also expanded into European, Middle Eastern, and African markets.
With dozens of brands competing intensely, the Chinese EV market has become highly saturated, leading to escalating price wars that erode corporate profits.
Seres is one of the few Chinese EV companies that remain profitable, alongside industry leader BYD (BYD Company Limited).
Source: BBC
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862941066910729/
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