Segway Scooters Recalled Again

Segway Inc. is recalling all 23,500 of the self-balancing scooters it has shipped since they first went on sale in 2002, because of a software glitch that can make its wheels unexpectedly reverse direction, causing riders to fall off.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, with whom Segway is cooperating on the voluntary recall announced on Thursday, said that the consumers should stop using the vehicles immediately.

The recall affects all Segway Personal Transporter i167, i170 and i180 (i Series) models, the p133, XT (cross-terrain transporter), GT (golf transporter) and i2 models, as well as all e167 (e Series) models.

Segway has received six reports of problems with the Personal Transporter, resulting in head and wrist injuries.

According to CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson, the injuries included broken teeth, a broken wrist and facial injuries including one that needed surgical repair.

Segway Chief Technology Officer Doug Field, said the problem that sparked the latest recall was found while the company was testing its new model.

Field said the actions that would cause the problem are of "very low probability, but possible, which then made us go pull every reported accident in the company's history."

The scooter's speed is determined by how far forward the user leans, and if the rider leans too far forward, a "speed limiter" pushes them back to keep the device at its maximum speed of 12.5 mph.

The problem happens after the speed limiter tilts back, the rider steps off the device and then gets back on it quickly, which might let the user to fall off.

As a remedy to it, Segway has upgraded its software for the scooter. Segway's dealers have received the software updates and owners can schedule an appointment through the company's Web site to have the update installed.

"We're ready to start upgrading immediately," said Chief Executive Jim Norrod.

He added "We don't see that it will have a negative impact on business at all."

It is pretty much expected from Segway to make a very strategic and sensible move if it really wants to go as Norrod wants it to.

It is the second time the scooters, which sell for about $4,000 to $5,500, have been recalled since they first went on sale in 2002.

There was a recall in 2003 which involved the first 6,000 sold had to be returned after a problem was discovered that led to riders tumbling off when the devices ran out of fuel.

It seems as if, the list of problems is never ending for this poor scooter.

Though its inventor, US engineer Dean Kamen, expected it to be a huge hit in cities where traffic congestion clogs the roads.

But then again, The Department for Transport invoked the Highway Act of 1835 to ban it from pavements, and EU vehicle certification rules it off roads.

The most famous tumble from a Segway came in 2003, when George W Bush once fell off a Segway trying to drive it.

Lets hope Segway doesn’t make anymore mistakes henceforth, and it comes back to the goodbooks of its customers.