That thing is sweet. I like the hands free model. Of course, I am still enamored with the Segway and really want to try one of those before I die.

maven2k

I expect anyone who wants one of these would need Certification from the Department of Mental Health/Mental Health Board.

ANoel

@txpunk: If Toyota is brining this to America, they'd have to make an American version with better suspension bigger tires, and probably taller controls. That unit she's riding on will probably bottom out if the average American got on it.

Joseph

those colors are gay

Connman

Ok after watching this I got an image in my head... replace the female model with some lame guy/teenager/your dad... they are tooting around on the one with the thigh high handle bars, they hit a curb, their feet slip and it drives the handle bars into their groin (though I assume that would be rather painful for a woman too)... say hello America's Funniest Videos and a whopping lawsuit against Toyota.

Maksimir

I think the Segway has nothing to worry about except cost (I'm guessing Toyota will severely undercut).
The small wheels mean it's more sensitive to catching on bumps, pebble-sized rocks, cracks, etc.

And me, being 6'3", would have to bend down to reach the controls on the one with a handle, and forget about trying to fit my feet on those platforms, unless you have to swap out based on shoe size.

Third, this is just a guess, but the version without handles looks like it would give you a serious workout in your adductors, and gives me a back ache just looking at it.

My 2c.

txpunk

Instead of looking like a giant douchebag, now I can look like a douchebag with a toy.

I'm reminded of the idiot "businesspeople" who still tool (the operative word) around Manhattan on Razer scooters.

OMG! Ponies!

It's like the Eee-Segway. Smaller, less powerful, and I'm sure it'll cost less, and that's the only reason people would buy them.

@Keebler: And yeah, you could. The people walking next to them had to walk slower just so the Winglet could keep up.

@Joseph: Agreed, though I'll just use the switches that Garrison put in there but felt no need to tell anyone about.

Platypus Man

@Joseph:
Right after he tells us he has a girlfiend in Canada named "Alberta" ?

ANoel

When the hell did walking become so last year? WTF? Yes, we are doomed to a WALL∙E-like future. >_<

Zaxxon Q Blaque

Hey Toyota; When are these coming out?

Joseph

She's HOT

sakko

let's see the video where Joe Average (KFC-fed) American rides one of these...

krugorg

Man, these look *lame*. Without something with which to hold, it's an accident begging to happen.

J0hnP

@gizak: Yes and much more hands free! So you can text, or taze people just as easy as on your own two feet!

I think spherical wheels would be a cool addition. Like the cars in iRobot.

Optimus-Prime

Ya think this might be the grandfather of the floating chairs in WALL•E? We are doomed to die of sheer laziness...

jaredgibbs

Ya think this might be the grandfather of those floating chairs we saw in WALL•E? We are all doomed to die of laziness...

jaredgibbs

OK, looks like it wasn't just conservative driving that was making them look slow. The other post before this explains that the max speed is 6 km/hour... aka 3.7 mph, haha. At least the Segway can move at a respectable 12.5 mph.

Keebler

do want, and want. it's amazing how much smaller then a segway it is too.

gizak

I think I could crawl on my hands and knees faster than this thing is going in the video..........

Keebler

And America just got 10% fatter just by watching the video.

On a positive note, there is no way that little thing will be able to haul our 275 lb asses around walmart.

Saboth

@txpunk: It's the same target audience as Segways, except poorer, skinnier, and slower.

Platypus Man

@J0hnP: What, do you have handles on your Rollarblades, or your skate board? When not operating at great speeds, these are no more dangerous than what is already available.

zenpoet

@Joseph: Yea, I'm still trying to figure out out the target audience. I'm athletic, and would probably walk/run where ever I needed to go; Large Americans would crush it; This is pretty useless as it is for handicapped and elderly.

txpunk

And here I thought "wow, that's kind of cool."

I ride an electric scooter to work -- picture an unholy union of Razer and Vespa and you're not really in the same ballpark, but it'll have to do. The reaction I get is about equal parts envy and "what a dork."

I don't ride it as a fashion statement. My operating costs are about half a penny per mile, it's fun, and it actually is some small amount of exercise (compared to, say, sitting on your ass driving a car, which nobody makes "lazy American" jokes about as they do every time some kind of scooter comes up...)

Crashproof

How do they do it? Gyroscopic balance? That's a pretty small space to stick significant gyros. I'm impressed.

bandit

anything less than the segways top speed is going to be frustrating. hell even the segways top speed is frustrating. if i ever buy one, i'll definitely mod the wheels to be bigger, which should reduce torque but increase the top speed without having to mess with the programming.

nutbastard

OMG! i want one of these. This must be the first toyota product that i want. Looks way better then the segway.

hu_hu_cool

@unibrow4o9: Depends on the grade

willyboy

I am a gettin one.

willyboy

Geesh, if it can only go 3.7 mph with a skinny fit Asian woman on it, I'd be interested to see how fast it goes with your average weight American on it.

unibrow4o9

Count me in the "looks like fun" column. That hands-free model somehow reduces dorkiness. If it's cheap and makes it easier for me to travel around the city without having to take a bus, I'd buy one.

FWIW 6 kph is about 50% faster than average walking speed. I'd like to see that go up to 8 or 10 kph to make it about the same as a comfortable jog - that way it would be about the same as taking a bike, but without the sweating part. Anyone who has ever ridden a bike to work where they didn't get to wear lycra while on the job appreciates the idea of "green" transport that doesn't make you break a sweat or have to change clothes and shower at work.

weatherman

What a way to do your Kegel exercises.

aboriginal

Just think how cool that would look with a woman in a hoop skirt that hides the wheels riding it.

@weatherman: Spike!

Ben Zvan

Can it go faster than...say...I don't know...walking?

bobx3

and unless they've got some awesome battery technology, (or it's running off something more energy dense like a fuel cell) range is going to suffer for the size. segway batteries are huge and heavy, and the newest, most expensive ones still only have a 20 mile range. regular ones are 12 miles (i think)

this thing will have to best the segway either madly in performance, or madly on price.

nutbastard

those small wheels are huge bummer!!! and there's no place for a big battery... this thing is gonna be out of juice after a few miles... if it makes it to mile one... LOL...

imagine having to use this thing in the city with bad sidewalks or roads.... LOLx1000...

smokeonit

Whenever I see a Segway (maybe once or twice a week) I have a gut reflex that imagines a giant "douche" sign hanging around their necks. Even the cops. Cops are supposed to ride something badass, like Decker's cop car, or maybe a rocket powered motorcycle, not a wheelchair built by Fisher Price's medical division.

But this thing looks great. Especially the no handle one at the end of the video. In fact I wouldn't even be embarrassed to be seen talking to someone who owned one. Oh hell, I would even talk to someone who was riding one@

It's clearly targeted at the aging Japanese population and not people who want to go hiking without mussing their new Timerlands.

Zadaz

Thighmaster on wheels

OldCrow

zenpoet, href="#c7002241">Platypus Man: This thing sounds about as exciting as the coin-operated rides in front of grocery stores. At least the segway can go as fast as I can run. Ben Zvan That would be funny

aboriginal: You're riding it wrong. Or maybe really really right?

txpunk

@weatherman:

ditto!

gizGianca

Segwayson?

aec007

@OMG! Ponies!: I've seen a few of these business-type-folk stumble off of their Razors drying to do a nice graceful dismount to walking motion. Amusing enough, but it needs more.

But have you seen those crazy swaying tricycle things where you have to weave back and forth to make it go forward? Great Caesar's nose hairs are those things annoying.

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

This is great! It's the modern day Japanese equivalent to foot binding. Now the women will all move slow enough for men to grope them on the way by!

Viva Japan!

Xavoc

I dont really have an opinion on it. But while watching the video I kept picturing the show suddenly being stormed by a raiding party of American business men (and women) on Segways armed with briefcase shields and Starbuck's coffee maces. Hilarity would ensue.

moogoescow

Too bad that is Suki Hishima, the world record holder for unicycle battlezone Epha. I'm sorry, but if the humans on WALL-E aren't scary enough, this just cherry-eyes the top.

SinAmos

I don't see Woz riding one of these. I think it would bottom out.

BiZarRroBALlmeR

looks like its from the jetsons!

urbanturban666

I noticed how her knees bent when she took the turns. Feel like skiing motion to me. I bet all the skiier will get used to it in a few minutes. I could understand the need of a long handle bar for people who need the security of gripping onto something. But I really don't know what the knee-high and ankle-high handle bar is for? When didn't they just eliminate that thing? Any clue?

pri_them2

God forbid we walk anywhere.

ZeeBeeEss

@pri_them2: It's a bidet for when you run over anything larger than a penny for the first time.

txpunk

I'm still waiting for this to happen. Then I don't need to wake up from the from being passed out on the carpet and dragging my butt to work. It will do it for me. No more traffic!! [IMG][i6.photobucket.com]]

scarpetti

This is not good because it is a product anyone wants, or should want, but it IS good because it brings competition to a market previously without. All this means is that the next generations of scooters won't be Segway dominated, or if they are, Segways will be forced to improve.

kidlucrative

@txpunk: This is for the millions of Japanese that ride trains to work then have to get on bicycles or walk another 10-20 to get home. Toyota IS a Japanese company.

skahty

Welcome to the age of imposed raquitism. Lets cut out our limbs and use *green* environmentally friendly walking aids. "We love our planet" Next commercials: Scene1: Raquitic *hot* highschool girls are barely sitting (trying not to fall) on the school yard. Scene2: A healthy boy passes by unnoticed. Slogan: "Be different" Scene3: A raquitic boy riding a toyota winglet with a prostetic "smile enabler" stretching his cheeks, he smiles as he rides pass a bunch of girls in ecstasy and awe. Photoshot: Winglet on a revolving pod.

LoringGalung

This would be so sweet to do steadicam work on...though I'm not sure it would support it very well.

91stStudios