Segway S-Pod crashes at tech show!

The Segway S-Pod has crashed at the CES show while being demonstrated to the crowds

Segway S-Pod

THE Segway S-pod has been crashed by a journalist during a demonstration of the machine at the CES show in Las Vagas.

The S-Pod, which is a cross between an egg chair and a Segway scooter, was being tried out by a journalist on the Segway stand at the CES 2020 show. BBC reports that while trying to manoeuvre the vehicle on the stand, the rider accelerated the machine, crashing it into a wall.

It’s reported that the company also claims that nobody was injured in the incident, which is luck, as the machine is capable of 24mph – at that speed in a crowded exhibition hall you could do a lot of damage!

"In no way is [a malfunction] a total loss. It is still a sign to the public that the company is close to the finished product," said Ross Rubin, principal analyst at Reticle Research. The crash meant the demo-rides on the machine had to be canned for the reminder of the day.

The S-Pod is controlled by shifting the user’s body weight, you lean forward to accelerate, or back to slow down. Segway claim that in some markets it will feature a seatbelt and top speeds will be limited. (Incidentally, Segway kept its landmark two-wheeled design for the S-Pod, rather than adding four wheels, because it allows a more adaptive centre of gravity to prevent the S-Pod from tipping.)

Segway hope to see the Segway used in large indoor spaces like airports, exhibition halls, and office buildings, as an alternative to walking, taking a bus or taxi of cycling.

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