Segway has never been a stranger to outlandish–but innovative–ideas. Thankfully, the company’s shortcomings, difficulties, and inevitable performance issues with previous offerings haven’t sullied their progress. This year, the outfit has unveiled even more mobility advancements, and with them, the S-Pod Smart Seat.
The S-Pod is enough of a departure from Segway’s recognizable design terminology to warrant interest; after all, motorized mobility units like wheelchairs, seats, and scooters have always been tailored to–and built precisely for–individuals with complex medical needs. But what about the able-bodied passenger who’s looking for a comfortable, intuitive way to traverse the urban environment? It’s a novel idea, and one that Segway-Ninebot has tastefully supplemented here, thanks to the vehicle’s bespoke navigation panel, manually-operated control knob, and self-balancing characteristics, which rely on a third wheel to augment use while at a standstill. Murmurs of the S-Pod’s range illustrate an impressive 44 miles (at speeds of 25 miles-per-hour), making the smart seat an attractive alternative to common transportation vehicles found in the urban environment. The Segway S-Pod will make its public debut at CES 2020, taking place next week.
