Universal Studios has moved to develop groundbreaking new safety technology, filing a series of patents just months after a tragic death occurred on a roller coaster at its newest Florida theme park.
Innovative Safety Patents Filed
Patent filings published earlier this week, which were viewed by The Independent, reveal detailed designs for seats equipped with advanced sensors and autonomous robotic safety inspectors. This technological push comes directly in the wake of the death of 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala at the Epic Universe park in Orlando on September 17.
One of the key patents, titled 'Seat Assembly Sensors and Controls', illustrates a system where seats are embedded with sensors that continuously monitor a rider's body position. These sensors, placed within the seat and harnesses, are designed to detect passenger characteristics including one or more forces or pressures of the passenger against the seat. The system can then automatically adjust the restraints during the ride's operation for enhanced safety.
A Response to Tragedy
The filings indicate the patents were submitted in April, approximately four months before the fatal incident on the Stardust Racers coaster. The family of Kevin Zavala has since stated that multiple warning signs were missed prior to his death, prompting an official investigation.
Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene, reporting that Zavala was slumped over with blood visible and that park staff appeared unprepared and panicked during the emergency. The Orange County Medical Examiner later ruled his death an accident resulting from multiple blunt force impact injuries.
Renowned attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Zavala's family, highlighted that the Stardust Racers ride, which only opened on May 22, 2025, had already accumulated multiple injury complaints before Zavala's death. Crump revealed that another woman has filed a lawsuit claiming she sustained injuries when her head shook violently and slammed again into her seat’s headrest throughout the duration of the ride.
The Future of Ride Inspection
Beyond the smart seats, Universal's other patent involves robotic devices that move along roller coaster tracks. This technology is designed to monitor the infrastructure in real-time, identifying potential safety concerns as they emerge.
Theme park analyst Tharin White from EYNTK.info told Fox News 35 that this new suite of technology would be a significant advancement. 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 safe as they can be, he stated. He added that the robotic track inspector represents a big time and money saver for Universal, with potential application across their entire portfolio of rides.
The Independent has contacted Universal Studios for comment regarding both the ongoing investigation and its newly filed patents for safety devices.
