Universal Studios Patents Sensor-Equipped Seats and Robotic Track Inspectors to Enhance Ride Safety

Universal Studios has published patent filings describing new ride-safety technologies: seats with embedded sensors that monitor rider position and restraint status, and autonomous robotic units that can travel along coaster rails to perform remote inspections.

What the patents describe

One application filed in April, titled Seat Assembly Sensors and Controls, outlines seat systems with arrays of sensors integrated into seat bases and harnesses. The system is designed to detect a rider's body position and automatically adjust restraints to improve comfort and safety, and to verify whether a passenger is properly secured before and during a run.

A separate patent, first filed in 2023 and granted more recently, details robotic rail units that can attach to and traverse roller-coaster tracks. Equipped with cameras and multiple sensors, these crawler-like devices are intended to perform remote visual and sensor-based inspections to identify wear, damage or other safety concerns without requiring a human inspector to ride the track.

Context and timing

The filings have drawn renewed attention following the September death of 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, who became unresponsive while riding the Stardust Racers coaster at Epic Universe. Company filings and experts note the patent work predates that incident. The patents themselves do not indicate immediate deployment timelines.

Expert reactions

"The technology could allow ride systems to verify that each passenger is seated and secured properly without human intervention," said theme-park analyst Tharin White. "It adjusts not only for comfort, but for safety aspects, and it allows the ride itself to check and make sure that the people who are in the seat are as comfortable and as safe as possible."

"These filings reflect ongoing investment in guest safety," said theme-park expert Seth Kubersky. "Patents show research priorities but do not guarantee that a concept will reach parks."

Attorney Albert Yonfa, speaking generally and not involved in the incident, noted that earlier patent activity could be cited in litigation as evidence the company had identified potential safety gaps before a tragic outcome.

Deployment prospects and legal implications

Patent publications indicate research and development directions but do not guarantee implementation. Engineers must prototype, test and secure regulatory and operational approvals before widespread use — a process that can take years. Independently, plaintiffs in legal cases sometimes point to prior internal research or patents when arguing a company knew about risks that were not yet addressed.

Sources: recently published patent filings and commentary from Tharin White, Seth Kubersky and attorney Albert Yonfa.