When it comes to comfort during driving, people usually think of seats with massage functions, high-quality acoustics, or large screens. However, the Chinese company Seres, which jointly produces premium Aito brand vehicles with Huawei, has decided to go much further. It has patented a solution for situations when passengers are unable to find the nearest restroom during long journeys or when stuck in traffic.
It was recently revealed that Seres has patented an "in-vehicle toilet and automobile." The patent, numbered CN224104011U, was filed as early as April 2025, and its official approval arrived on April 10, 2026.
According to the patent description, the device consists of a toilet body and a special guide rail mechanism. Its main feature is maximum space saving. The toilet is installed directly under the co-driver's seat, and when needed, the structure is pulled forward. After use, it retracts back, becoming completely invisible inside the interior.
This approach significantly differs from previous attempts by other manufacturers. For example, the brand Polestone previously offered a portable option where the toilet seat board was stored in the center console and used with disposable bags. Seres' solution appears to be a much more complex and integrated system.
Despite the technological innovation, introducing such an option into mass production comes with a series of challenges. The main difficulty lies in the layout of modern electric vehicle chassis. In Aito model line vehicles, almost all the space under the floor is occupied by a massive battery. Installing drainage pipes and waste tanks requires a serious revision of the vehicle's architecture.
In addition to technical aspects, there are other factors, such as: - Odor control: ensuring complete isolation from unpleasant smells in the enclosed cabin space.
It is currently hard to say what will happen with this patent, but we might see it as an exclusive additional option for VIP versions of large SUVs or minivans. Although skeptics may call it just another marketing trick, for those who spend several hours a day on the road, such functionality could prove far more useful than yet another screen.