Few things are as recognizable and iconic as Segway’s scooters. The self-balancing scooter is a mainstay of touring companies and police forces. At CES 2020, the company announced its newest addition, the S-Pod: a seated gyroscope-based scooter.
The S-Pod looks like something straight out of science fiction, with Automobile comparing it to the hoverchairs in Pixar’s WALL-E. Unlike the scooters, the S-Pod uses a control knob, rather than leaning, to direct the chair. The control pad can be detached so the chair can be controlled remotely.
According to Autombile, “the S-Pod has a top speed of nearly 25 mph and a range of 43.5 miles on a charge.” With a gyroscopic design that is designed to make it impossible to turn over, the applications are endless. Unfortunately, Segway doesn’t seem interested in making the S-Pod available to the average consumer, and “insists the S-Pod is meant to be used on closed campuses.”
Steve Jobs famously questioned the market choice for the Segway when he was first introduced to the device. “You’re sure your market is upscale consumers for transportation,” Jobs asked.
The S-Pod has tremendous potential to be a widely adopted transportation device—if Segway changes their target market for the device.