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We're all for environmentally sustainable motor vehicles, but can you imagine picking up your date in one of these? Yet this could be our dorky urban future, which even the most fanny pack-bedecked European would have no choice but to point at and laugh. But the joke's on them, because this compact ride's got a totally bad ass name: P.U.M.A., which stands for Personal Urban Mobility & Accessibility. The prototype, developed by G.M. and Segway, was tested yesterday on the streets of New York, and, miraculously, no cabs or Hummers plowed into the thing, though the drivers presumably sustained some damage to their dignity.
James Norrod, the president of Segway, says P.U.M.A, powered by lithium-ion batteries, can be charged in three hours for a cost of 35 cents, and has a 35-mile range before it runs out of juice. Six of these "pods" can fit in a standard parking space, so when you roll with your P.U.M.A. posse, you'll also save a fortune by splitting the parking meter cost. And in keeping with the numerological theme, the top speed is 35 m.p.h. Because G.M. is still deciding whether to commercialize it, the cost is T.B.D., but a regular Segway costs about $5,000.
In showing off his baby to the Times yesterday, G.M. R&D guy Larry Burns said the pods are being designed to utilize G.M.’s OnStar technology, which has six million North American subscribers. The technology lets vehicles communicate with one another over a quarter-mile range to prevent collisions, eventually allowing what G.M. calls "autonomous driving and parking." That way, the pods would literally drive themselves, letting the hands-free urban driver ignore boring traffic while sending important text messages. Acknowledging that this is already the way most morons "drive," Burns told the Times, "My daughter sleeps with her iPhone in her hand. At this point, is using a cellphone the distraction, or has driving become the distraction?"
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Now bike lanes are making sense to me. Great idea.
A penny a mile, that's a lot cheaper than a cab or anything the MTA has to offer. Polution free. What colors does it come in? Is there a station wagon version? Show us more.
that's quite interesting.
rather have something like this than a surplus/used city cushman. any more pictures comparing the ride height vs. a car? looks pretty high up.
What would the +'s of this over say an electric scooter? Also what happens when you stop moving, it rocks forward or backwards and lands on the safety wheels I see in the pic?
weebles wobble but they don't fall down
Maneuverability. Like a Segway or a tank, this has a zero turn radius, so it can spin in place like a top if necessary. When stopped, it would probably just balance upright by itself, like a Segway. I assume the additional wheels drop when it's ready to power down completely.
There really seems like there's no reason for this to be on two wheels like the Segway...just oozes overkill to me.
It appears to use a Segway platform because the technology is already proven and the two wheel layout makes for a smaller vehicle that any four wheel version with equally sized wheels could provide. Smaller wheels would make for a harsher ride.
It's basically a Segway with a body. I don't know how much GM put into this effort. it appears to be a smart move on Segway's part to get a major automotive company involved even though the one they chose is going bankrupt in a matter of days it appears.
Great idea. Where do can you park it so it doesn't get stolen?
Yeah for real. Theres No feeling on the planet like coming out of Barnez & Noblez & see an empty space. You'd scream What the FUCK??? I like it a lot though. Its realistic in other states like Florida.
The thing is not street legal.
I think it's pretty fucking cool. Not sure what Joel's problem with it is, maybe over compensating for manhood issues?
Fuck it, there's nothing worth hating about it. My only concern is space. If they can design it with enough room to fit a week's worth of groceries, I'm sold.
Hang on, it drives itself?? Sign me up.
Why was this article written in such a negative tone?
This thing is perfect for the city. You sound like a spoiled soccer mom who can't live without her Land Rover just to go get some milk.
SikBug- one plus i can see is that it's at least partially enclosed which makes riding it in the rain and cold a bit more plausible than a scooter.
Partially enclosed scooters have existed for decades. Honda has had their Canopy for ages. Even BMW got into the act a few years ago with their C1, which had quite a loyal following but unfortunately not enough sales to keep it in production.
this weenie mobile makes a smart car look cool and that's very difficult to do. my street-legal dirtbike only cost $5,000 and they even let me keep my nuts.
Jesus John could you have sandbagged the thing any more with your perception of it being dorky? You sound like Tunnel Trash talking about any car that isn't a "bimmer".
I think there's some skepticism—an MSNBC newscaster (fine, it was an MSNBC newscaster) told her colleague, who was sitting in one, that it looked like he was sitting in a baby stroller.
AHhh!!
If the overall vehicle is small enough and you can fit six in a space normally occupied by one vehicle, a public parking garage could charge one third their normal rate and still double their profits over parking a full size vehicle.
Option two would be to use the freight elevator and park the unit whether in your office or in your apartment. It's electric so no dangerous fuels are involved.
Regarding the Segway being not street legal. That can be changed simply by an act of legislation. When the first motorized road vehicles arrived in England, a man had to walk in front of them carrying a red flag. I believe the English have since changed that law to fit the newer technology.
It solves a couple of problems with the Segway: weather and standing up. Still, I would be scared in it on the street.
It would be no scarier than riding a bike on the streets. It could also use lights both front and back.
The strange thing I see is that it is a two passenger vehicle. Perhaps a new "TAXI" version is needed.
It could be made even smaller if they left off the other passenger seat. This makes the Smart car look somewhat dumb. Park it on the sidewalk like so many bikes are. It's only a tad bigger if it was in a one passenger configuration. It's definitely shorter.
Yeah. That's why I don't ride a bike in NY: scared of dying.
more importantly, do you think it comes equipped w/ a cup holder?
it really doesn't look that dorky when compared to a guy riding a segway, helmet and all.
I'm the Pumaman.
I saw the auto-driving cars in Minority Report. Those looked a lot cooler though.
I saw the auto-driving cars in Minority Report. Those looked a lot cooler though.
sounds interesting, but given that you hear about crazy segway accidents going with only a top speed of 12 mph then how is safety gonna be applied to some crazy ass little carriage going 35? I don't think they'd ever let this baby on the road in the US until at least 2 decades passed of rules and regulations. what happens if the gyroscopic sensors break down when You are going 35? how's this baby handle up and down steep inclines? It's iffy to me right now.
That's why it's called a PROTOTYPE, numbnuts.
I'm just saying they ain't gonna let this on the streets unless certain palms are greased.
Palms need to be greased because we are being governed by a bunch of myopic assholes.
I hear a lot of Chevy Cobalts and Ford Mustangs have accidents going 35 miles an hour. Perhaps they should be recalled along with most other vehicles that are self propelled.
There are very few steep inclines in NYC. All it needs is different gearing to accommodate same.
If the top speed is the problem put a governor on the motor or change the gearing to drop it down to a "safe" level.
"Luddites UNITE!"
Reminds me of the little car Sam drives around in Terry Gilliam's Brazil: http://www.ooyay.com/pics/brazil/PDVD_003.jpg
It's hard to tell from the one picture but it appears he's driving either a Messeschmidt or a Gogomobile both of which are larger than the Segway prototype.
Why would anyone even remotely think this is dorky? Dangerous in certain circumstances, yes (and there are some pretty good hills in NYC which would challenge this thing -- what would you do if you had to go from point A to point B and in the middle somewhere is a hill you can't negotiate? Get out and pull it along like a cart?), but dorky? No. Not dorky, nor undignified.
Although the Segway drive system is not totally developed, I believe that going up and down hills would be a simple thing to solve if based on a preplanned route, available battery power, and GMS. That way you would know that you should not do Manhattan Valley with only the available power you have left. Chill out, have a PBR and plug in for fifteen minutes at the local Muni-Meter charger. Of course the city will charge you three dollars for 35 cents of juice, but it will be worth it.
Forget about the drive without driving concept. There are way too many variables with that solution to think it's viable in the next nine months.
Two passenger? Doubt it, the fourth pic shows that averagely built guy taking up both seats, with his shoulder sticking out of the window. And it provides no more rain cover than a small umbrella - might be insufficient for rainy driving with all the splashing the normal cars around produce.
Nice concept though, they should make these available to buy and legal. Although I do not see how these could be legal for anything but bike lanes.
I imagine, in 2 years the city is swarming with these, and a pack is rolling through Madison Ave, and some inpatient cabbie bumps into the last one of these pods in the pack at 5mph and a chain reaction unfolds tilting over the whole pack:)
Any description of the perp? Italian, Jewish, Russian, Arabic, Indian, Pakistanian, Brooklynese, Foreigner?
segways are hilarious to me and this is why:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7gMTKEyYXs
That is called four assholes using Segways. If you watch open wheel racing the same thing happens. All it needs is to have the fender extend over the wheels a bit further so the "over ride" doesn't occur.
Next objection?
I like the idea, but the execution is lacking. If it had doors, maybe I'd buy in.
I'm also hoping they change the whole 'metal bar for a door at neck-height' idea. That thing looks like it'll snap some necks in the right situation, and this thing being top-heavy, I think that'll be often.
Good point fuboy. For some reason I really don't think the real automobile designer guys from Art Center worked this over. It appears to be a shot in the dark that was done in about three weeks to make GM look like they are a "vision forward" company. The pros would have made it look "way cool" in an iphone way.
How do you know it's top heavy? It would appear that with the wheels set outside the body and the batteries/motor mounted between the wheels, the CoG would be quite low.
I'm sure the production version would have seat belts to hold you firmly in the seat. You won't get anywhere near the side bar.
So, in the future everyone will be really skinny? That's the only way that thing could fit 2 people!
Not a bad/far fetched idea, to be honest. Even if we don't like it how it looks. Though, I'd be terrified to take a highway in that thing next to giant SUVs and trucks.
I want one! Would like covers to keep rain out. It's perfect for running errands around Brooklyn. I seriously love it!
The Segway site has more photos and video which give a better idea of things like the seating configuration and maneuverability:
http://www.segway.com/puma/
And by the way, they only mention GM a couple of times in passing on the site, lending credence to the idea above that their involvement in the project is pretty minor. No mention of what GM contributed, just "the first step of what’s possible in a technology collaboration between Segway and General Motors," and "We're making this announcement today in collaboration with General Motors Corp. in New York City in advance of the New York Auto Show."
Thanks for the link. The fully enclosed version is sex on two wheels.
Combine this with a solar recharger on the roof and they are really on to something.
The last time GM got adventurous they created the "Aztec." Nuff said?
Park Slope just got a whole lot uglier.
My brother is an engineering reporter in Detroit. I emailed him and asked whether he thinks this will ever make it to market. He said there is a veritable boatload of legal and safety reasons why it won't, and besides GM doesn't have an extra penny to devote to R&D. I do hope he's wrong.
No money for R&D huh? Perhaps they will be producing replicas of the Russian version of the early 1960's Skoda sedans in the future.
Made in China and assembled in Ecuador. And still proclaim, "What's good for General Motors is good for the country."
I wouldn't depend on Generous Mother to do anything but bury their sorry heads and asses in the sand.
They continuously lose the big picture for the nickel and dime approach generated by the bean counters.
And screw all the legislation crap. It should fit into the two wheel motor bike category, similar to a moped.
The P.U.M.A. isn't your father's Oldsmobile.
Talk about stupid marketing. The old timer Oldsmobile buyers were a steady customer. But the great minds at GM thought it was too fuddy duddy. Unlike the Buick. And they were ready to abandon the Pontiac line, which was also of the same ilk as the Oldsmobile and the Buick, but had some balls to it. I guess the great minds at GM worked together on that one.
So instead of handing out 10 parking tickets they can hand out 35!
It is pretty neat, but I can't fit all my crap in there...