GM Files Patent Application for In-Car Foot Massager
As reported by Motor Tend, General Motors is attempting to revolutionize in-car luxury features, having recently filed a patent application for an in-car foot massager.
The patent filing, which was submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office in February 2021, is titled “Vehicle Foot Massage System in a Vehicle Floor”. The filing depicts a built-in foot massage system for a vehicle floor under the passengers’ seats that uses air pressure to generate a massage. Components of the massage device include an air pump, a user interface, a controller, an air manifold, and the pneumatic elements. This system operates in a similar fashion to the mechanism found in massaging car seats, currently available in the Buick Envision, Ford F-150, and Ford Explorer.
Motor Trend noted that, while the Audi A8 already has a similar feature, General Motors’ massage system is distinguishable in that its foot massage system “does not require that you lift your feet or make any additional seat adjustments”.
It remains unknown whether and when General Motors will implement its floor-mounted foot massager, but there are a variety of models in which it could be installed, including the GMC Hummer EV, Cadillac Lyriq, and Cadillac Escalade.
Author: Andrew Patel, 2020/2021 Articling Student-at-law
Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/@theoracle
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