Toyota Patent Filing: Your Truck May Someday Wash Itself
This Toyota patent details a system where autonomous vehicles take action when they need a wash.
While there are loads of various camps in the menagerie of tastes that’s the automotive hobby, it’s probably safe to say there are two kinds of enthusiasts. On one side, there are the folks who love washing their car, and approach the process with a level of detail which would make a surgeon blush. You know, like Corvette people. On the other side, there’s the crowd that, despite how much they love their ride, looks at cleaning it like a chore.
Personally, I’m in the latter camp. I’ve owned plenty of killer machines over the years, from little sports cars, to SUVs, to pickup trucks. But the only vehicle I’ve ever washed on a even a semi-regular basis has been my current motorcycle, a 2020 Triumph Bonneville. Given how exposed everything is on the bike, it makes sense — at least to me — that regular cleaning is just a part of general maintenance. That said, I almost bought a matte black version, specifically so I wouldn’t feel the need to keep it pristine.
But I have to admit, I think it would be cool if my bike could go wash itself in the middle of the night — and that’s exactly the kind of system Toyota recently filed a patent for.
While the first image in the drawing submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office looks a little like something I’d drawn on a napkin to illustrate a point, the full filling details a system which uses the vehicle’s bevy of sensors to determine when it’s too dirty. Then it simply drives itself to an automated wash station.
In theory, I have to admit I love this idea. While there would have to be settings for, say, winter, so you didn’t wind up paying for washes three times a day, this could be a great, no-hassle way to keep your machine nice and clean. Or at the very least, prevent it from getting to the point where some jack ass writes “wash me” in the dirt on your rear glass. Remember kids: Never touch another person’s vehicle without expressed permission.
Obviously, this is something which would probably be implemented for fleet vehicles first, but I don’t think it’s too far off to expect it’ll eventually be popular with personal vehicles. What do you think? Would you be down to let your Toyota determine when it’s time for a bath? Hit me up and let me know!
Photos: Toyota