Stellantis may quickly make the drive-through expertise rather less sophisticated with fold-out tables for the motive force and entrance passenger.
Such tables are the topic of a patent utility filed by Stellantis with the United States Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO) in February 2023, and was printed by the USPTO in August of this 12 months.
Stellantis front-seat desk patent picture
In keeping with the patent, the tables could be mounted on a system of tracks and arms that will permit them to slip into place and pivot outward. One desk could be hooked up to every aspect of a car’s middle console, that means it will be supreme for a right-handed driver and left-handed passenger.
Stellantis has a historical past of deployable vehicular furnishings—or, fairly, its U.S. part does. Earlier than it was merged into FCA after which Stellantis, Chrysler launched a second-row desk as a part of the Swivel ‘n Go seating system in its minivans. The center-row seats would swivel to face the third row, with the desk in between them. That characteristic was not repeated on the current-generation Chrysler Pacifica.
Stellantis front-seat desk patent picture
If the front-seat tables attain manufacturing, it is exhausting to say if they may seem on a car bought by Chrysler—which has grow to be a stray model promoting solely the venerable Pacifica—or one of many many different manufacturers within the Stellantis fold. They might make their manner into an electrical minivan, which might make lots of sense.
Ford may beat Stellantis to market with this characteristic. A patent from the Blue Oval for a middle console with deployable tables appeared earlier this 12 months. Ford has additionally tried to patent a movable in-vehicle desk for second-row passengers.
