Chinese automakers always come up with some quirky “ideas” to stand out among the many competitors. Now “color TVs, refrigerators, and big sofas” are no longer enough. Recently, China’s Deepal Automobile Technology Co., Ltd. published an invention patent titled “In-vehicle foot-washing device and vehicle,” with application publication number CN122873858A. It is a foldable foot-soaking basin stowed in a cavity under the seat; when needed, it extends out, unfolds, and is filled with water, allowing passengers to soak their feet directly inside the car.
How does the foot basin fold and extend?
The patent document states that this device consists of two parts: a foot basin and a telescopic assembly, and is installed in a mounting cavity reserved in the vehicle body. The foot basin itself has two states: folded and unfolded. The telescopic assembly uses a scissor-type lifting linkage mechanism and is responsible for pushing the foot basin from the stowed position to the extended position. Normally, the foot basin is folded and hidden in the mounting cavity under the seat, without taking up the aisle in the vehicle. When needed, the telescopic assembly pushes it out and unfolds it, and after filling it with water, it can be used for soaking.
When not in use, the entire foot-soaking basin retracts into a compartment under the front seat; when needed, it pulls out and unfolds. The basin has built-in foot massage bumps, so passengers can soak their feet and relax directly in the vehicle during parking and camping or long-distance breaks.
Massage, dividers, and drainage in the basin
As seen in the patent drawings, the configuration of the basin bottom is much more complex than that of a simple basin. The basin bottom is provided with multiple sets of massage rollers and circular massage protrusions, corresponding to the massage apparatus classification A61H 15/00, and can perform rolling massage on the soles of the feet. In the middle of the basin body there is another partition with circular through holes, dividing the interior space of the basin into left and right regions. The flow guide holes in the partition allow water to pass through and also help limit water sloshing in the basin. A knob-type drain valve is installed on the outer side of the front end of the basin body; after soaking, the valve core can be turned to drain the wastewater. The upper part of the drain valve has a threaded port for connecting an external drainage hose.
The patent classification number also includes A61L 2/10, which points to an ultraviolet disinfection function; the foot basin may be equipped with a UV sterilization module. This patent also involves a heating function and can maintain constant temperature control of the water temperature in the basin.
“Mobile SPA Room” and “One Brake Away from a Flooded Car”
After the patent was published, reactions on the Chinese internet were quite divided. Camping enthusiasts found it novel: on long drives or when parking to rest, soaking your feet in the car to relieve fatigue, paired with zero-gravity seats, turns the car into a mobile spa room. Others thought it was very practical for highway traffic jams or for soaking your feet and getting a massage while sleeping in the car.
The opposing side points to water storage as the problem: the device involves storing water, and the vehicle’s jolting makes leaks likely; the interior also faces the practical challenges of moisture-proofing, mold prevention, and cleaning and maintenance, while safety and practicality remain up for discussion.
Most of the comments were largely mocking, including sarcastic remarks such as “It’s really less practical than a toilet” and “Hit the brakes and it turns into a flooded car.” Some thought it was not even as good as the foldable foot-soaking buckets that cost a few dozen yuan on Pinduoduo and can be carried around. Some bloggers described the basin as “a foldable foot bath basin hidden under the rear seat,” which doesn’t match the claim of “under the front seat cushion”; the location circulating for the same patent has already become inconsistent.
Announcement does not equal allocation.
In this round of discussion, the least-mentioned point—but the most important one for car buyers—is this: publication of an application only means that a technical proposal has been submitted and made public; it does not mean it will appear in the spec sheet of any car you can actually buy. Someone working in automotive seat design reposted it with just a few words: patent, not mass production.
The patent is only a public disclosure of a technical solution; it does not mean mass production and installation on vehicles is confirmed. Deepal has not officially announced which model will feature it or when it will be implemented. As of now, Deepal has not responded, made an official announcement, or said it is “coming soon to vehicles.” Almost all of this buzz comes from auto reviewers and accounts mocking the patent.
OEMs file a large number of patents every year: some are defensive placeholders that stake out a direction first, and some are technology reserves. Between the paper and the production configuration sheet lie cost accounting, reliability validation, regulatory review, and the question of whether anyone will actually buy it. Most wild-idea patents stop at the published application stage, so ordinary people really don’t need to take them too seriously.
Source: KOCPC Chinese