Automakers are patenting everything imaginable, and now Audi is bringing the sauna experience to cars.
Ferrari has plans for an upside-down hydrogen-powered V6 engine, and Audi wants to integrate sauna-like features in its upcoming models, as revealed by a new patent filed with the German Patent Office, reported by Carmoses.
Audi’s aim isn't to install a full sauna in cars, but rather to enhance the pre- and post-sauna experience.
The feature would detect if drivers are en route to or from a sauna visit, using the car’s navigation system and a connection to the sauna facility itself.
The "car sauna" function would use heating and lighting systems to help drivers prepare for and unwind from a sauna session—essentially an upgrade from the massage seats found in high-end models.
The patent hints that Audi may incorporate this feature in self-driving cars, noting that drivers could have the option to rest or sleep both before and after a sauna visit.
Audi isn't the only brand exploring unique patents.
Toyota, for example, has patented a technology to detect when a passenger may need a restroom break.
And Tesla previously applied for a patent in 2021 for laser-based windshield cleaning, where lasers could clear specific areas on a window using "measurements."
