The device is called the Segway S-Pod, and like Segway’s flagship vehicle, it balances on two wheels. According to a Segway-Ninebot press release, a rider sits in the pod and uses a navigation panel to drive the contraption at upwards of 38 kilometers per hour (24 miles per hour).
“The S-Pod spins and rotates by the center smoothly for directional changes,” Segway-Ninebot wrote, adding that “since the ‘brake’ is placed by the shift of the center of gravity, it eliminates the possibility of the S-Pod tipping over in any situation.”
Segway-Ninebot also wrote in the press release that the S-Pod is designed for use in “enclosed campuses such as airports, theme parks and malls,” making it seem like a sleeker alternative to the electric scooters that already populate those settings.
The switch from four wheels to two will likely give the S-Pod a tighter turning radius than those other transportation options. Still, it’s hard to look at the device and not think about the meek consumers of the “WALL-E” universe — and it’s hard to imagine that that’s an image buyers will be clamoring to imitate.
