Sterantis is developing a deployable table for front seats

Sterantis could make the drive-through experience a little easier with folding tables for the driver and passenger.

Such tables are the subject of a patent that Sterantis filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in February 2023 and was published by the USPTO in August of this year.

According to the patent, the table is attached to a system of tracks and arms that can slide into place and pivot outward. This means it is ideal for right-handed drivers and left-handed passengers.

Sterantis has a history of deployable vehicle furniture: prior to its merger with FCA and becoming Sterantis, Chrysler had introduced a second-row table as part of its Swivel 'n Go seating system for minivans. The middle row of seats rotated to face the third row, with the table in between. This feature is not repeated in the current Chrysler Pacifica.

If front-seat tables do go into production, it is not known whether they will be installed in vehicles sold by Chrysler or in many other brands under the Sterantis umbrella. It is possible that it will be installed in an electric minivan.

Ford may also be ahead of Sterantis with this feature. The Blue Oval patented a center console with a deployable table earlier this year. Ford is also trying to patent a moveable in-car table for second-row passengers.