NYC’s new robotoilets will kick you out after 10 minutes—whether you’re finished or not

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is tackling yet another urban annoyance: the city’s lack of public restrooms. As of June 2025, New York City had just 975 operating public restrooms across its five boroughs, or one per every 8,697 residents. To start making it easier to go while on the go, the city is installing 17 new modular bathrooms—aka robotoilets—equipped with amenities like running water, temperature control, and baby-changing stations. The bathrooms, made and operated by Throne Labs, are already being erected around NYC, with the first two open as of this week and two more coming on Thursday. 17 new public bathrooms. Across all five boroughs. Because you can’t wait — and you shouldn’t have to. pic.twitter.com/PqiyODUoBu— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) September 16, 2026 “Too many New Yorkers know what it’s like to have nowhere to go while they’re on the go,” Mamdani said at a press conference on Wednesday. “This pilot is about making sure New Yorkers can count on a clean, safe, accessible bathroom when they need one.” But as Mamdani put it, these bathrooms are “not a place to scroll on your phone.” Users are meant to do their business, then get a move on within 1…