What would you think, if you saw one of these in the street? Would you know what it was for?

(Clue: look at the symbol on the door)

This is a Sanisette, also known as a "superloo" to the British. It is an outdoor, automated toilet that automatically scrubs, washes, and disinfects itself after each person uses it.

To operate this Sanisette, you place two French francs in coin in a slot (marked in green at the top of the control panel in the photo). The door opens, and you enter, with the door closing automatically behind you.

The indicator on the control panel in the photo shows that the toilet is not available. It changes to orange when the toilet is in use, and to red when the toilet is out of order.

The sign at the top tells you to put your money in the green slot. The pink notice at the bottom says that children younger than 10 must have someone else inside with them. This is because they are often not heavy enough for the Sanisette to tell they are still inside, and it starts cleaning itself while they are still in there!

Inside is a normal-looking toilet, and a small sink that automatically dispenses soap and water when you place your hands beneath the tap. A hot-air dryer operates after the tap, again automatically. A mirror is provided so that you can fix your hair, if you want. There is a toilet-paper dispenser as well.

When you finish using the toilet and washing your hands, you open the door (there is a handle on the inside) and exit.

The door closes again and the Sanisette begins a cleaning cycle that lasts for about 60 seconds. The wall behind the toilet opens and brushes, and sprayers scrub down the toilet and disinfect it. After the cycle completes, the toilet is ready for its next user.