New Patent Shows How Dirty Teslas Could Clean Themselves

Tesla says that on August 8th it’s going to unveil a robotaxi. For it to work as intended, it’ll need to do a lot including drive itself. The automaker has been working, with dramatically varying degrees of success, on autonomous driving for years. A new patent application suggests that it’s been cooking up something else that’ll go hand-in-hand with robotaxis. They and other Tesla models could end up cleaning themselves. 

First spotted by X account SETI Park, a patent application that dates back to February of 2023 “presents a system and method for automatically sanitizing enclosed spaces, particularly vehicle interiors, that can be shared by multiple people.” If granted, such a system would be the first of its kind but before that happens, Tesla will have to ensure it can accomplish a few vital things. 

The name of the invention is “Controlling environmental conditions in enclosed spaces.” Filed with the World Trade Organization, application WO2023/163943A1 requires that the car can detect when the interior is dirty. Then, it leverages ultraviolet radiation, heat, microwaves, and several other methods to do the cleaning. Consider this a new link between Teslas and self-cleaning ovens. 

$TSLA #Robotaxi

Tesla’s patent WO2023/163943A1 presents a system and method for automatically sanitizing enclosed spaces, particularly vehicle interiors, that can be shared by multiple people.

The core of this patent is detecting the current environmental conditions of the… pic.twitter.com/Mh5Q6oITak

— SETI Park (@seti_park) June 30, 2024

Why does it appear as though this is specifically built with the Tesla Robotaxi in mind? The application alludes to it. “[A]n automobile providing transportation throughout the day for multiple persons provides lower transportation costs and environmental footprint than an automobile used by only one person for personal commute,” it says. It also includes lines about re-sanitization after passenger disembarkation. 

Certainly, it could end up employed in various models depending on how the system functions in its final production form. Notably, none of the self-driving taxi businesses currently running in the USA have a similar system for interior cleaning. That might be surprising since it’s a problem that some media outlets like Slate highlighted all the way back in 2018. 

“With companies like Uber, Waymo, and Lyft planning to launch their first generation of self-driving cars as shared taxis, it’s not yet clear who or what will be there to clean up the half-drunk Starbucks cup, wipe down the mystery stickiness on the seat, or handle even less hygienic situations. It’s not just a trivial matter: it’s an issue of sanitation and rider well-being—one more pressing for future users than you might imagine.”

Ford already rolled out a similar system early on in the pandemic.

Frankly, a car that could clean itself would be a benefit for both taxi and personal vehicle users. While far from a production feature, Tesla does appear to have really thought out just about every way it could clean the inside of a car, including by parking it in maximum sunlight. 

How Does It Work?

As mentioned, the patent leverages several technologies. It includes using the HVAC system to heat the cabin up enough to sanitize some surfaces. The same theory goes for some surfaces that Tesla plans to physically heat up to clean. UV lighting and steam generators are also included in the system. The car(s) will also be capable of moving the seats to provide additional access to tight spaces. There’s also a way to move the touchscreen so that it’s in more direct sunlight, which has a sanitizing effect as well. Driving into a position with more sunlight is on the table too. 

Hurdles Ahead

Before any of this actually makes it into your next taxi or car, Tesla has some hurdles to clear. As PopSci rightly points out in its coverage, seeing this system is somewhat predicated on the idea that Tesla actually solves autonomous driving tech and launches a Robotaxi. Again, in theory, bring self-cleaning car tech to any future car, but its usefulness is clearly more evident in a heavily shared vehicle. 

On top of that, there’s the issue of larger debris. No matter how excellent the self-cleaning Tesla might be, it won’t be able to handle physical debris, organic or otherwise, the same way that a person can. In that case, the car will need to detect that it’s beyond self-cleaning and then take itself to a sanitation station. At that station, Tesla plans to employ more robots to do what cleaning they can. 

Finally, all of this relies on all of these systems working in harmony. For example, imagine a scenario where the sanitation routine began while a child or pet was in the car. That probably wouldn’t go over well. The patent application mentions the use of various sensors to prevent such an outcome but it only takes one failure to make headlines. On the flip side, the potential benefits, if they all actually come about, are hard to overstate. 

Being able to walk away from your empty car and know that when you return it’ll be sanitized sounds pretty great. Knowing that the robotaxi you’re riding in isn’t full of potentially dangerous bacteria, viruses, and more sounds even better.