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Throne Labs pitches smart public restrooms; council signals support to pilot deployment
Summary
Throne Labs showed its self‑contained, solar‑powered 'thrones' to the council, emphasizing data‑driven cleaning, access control and ADA compliance. Councilmembers welcomed the presentation and signaled consensus to agendize a pilot agreement for deployment in Culver City.
A California company that builds self‑contained smart restrooms presented to the Culver City Council Jan. 27, and councilmembers indicated they want staff to pursue a pilot deployment.
Ben Simons, an account executive at Throne Labs, described units that require no water or sewer connections, run on solar power with battery backup, and include remote user feedback and access controls. "We offer a self contained smart public restroom with an all inclusive flat fee service plan," Simons said during the presentation, adding the company monitors usage and cleans units about once every 14 uses.
Simons said Throness deployed a unit in Culver City through an LA Metro partnership in April 2025 and reported roughly 14,758 uses since deployment. He described safeguards including anti‑graffiti coatings, quick‑peel mirrors and a 10‑minute time limit enforced with a voice warning and automatic door opening to limit overstays.
Council members pressed on vandalism, graffiti removal, short‑term rentals for events and potential branding opportunities. Council consensus—expressed as nodding heads during the meeting—asked staff to agendize consideration of a sole‑source pilot agreement with Throne Labs so the council could evaluate the merits of a city partnership at a subsequent meeting.
Staff will prepare a pilot proposal and cost model for council review, including potential locations (transit centers and high‑use parks), service tiers and options for city branding of units.
