Prepare to step aside Segway, you had your chance to revolutionize personal transportation. Introducing the Toyota Winglet. Still under development, Winglet's body has a 10.4 x 18-inch footprint and stands 1.5-, 2.2-, or 3.7-feet tall (depending upon the S, M, or L model chosen) and features an electric motor capable of a max 6km/h cruising speed for up to 10km a jaunt (only 5km for the S model). Like the Segway, the user controls the Winglet by shifting his weight to move the transporter forward and back or to make tight turns. Winglet will begin consumer testing at the Central Japan International Airport near Nagoya and Laguna Gamagori resort this Autumn with further testing in more crowded environments planned for 2009. It's planned to hit a production stride in 2010. Hey Toyota, here's a hint: you'd better start lobbying for sidewalk legalization ASAP if you're hoping for global success. All three pictured after the break in order of S, M, and Large.
Update: Video added to show just how nimble the handle-less S and M versions can be.
[Via
Akihabara News]
posted Aug 1st 2008 10:36AM
Just what the world needs, a way to get to fast food restaurants that burns more money and less calories...
Does it have a built-in TV? Has anyone seen Wall-E?
In Japan, bicycles frequent pavements (sidewalks) despite it being illegal almost everywhere
(Although most people here believe it is perfectly legal, it is not!)
As such, whether this can legally travel there or not, it most probably will (If we ever see it)
I still prefer using the Jet Pack.
True, but bike riders and pedestrians are used to it and know how to avoid each other.
Unless they up the speed, it seems like it's just more cumbersome (and costly) than just walking. I mean not the actual traveling part, but you've got to worry about storage and possible theft, if you go up any stairs you've got to drag it along or leave it behind, you can step over a pothole or other obstacle but you'll have to get off this thing and haul it past the obstruction, and so on.
And anyways, I'm waiting for the unicycle version to come out... that'll be sweet.
Video added to show just how nimble the handle-less S and M versions can be.
Said the actress to the bishop...
cool
Cool? Since when were segways ever cool? You should google /search Engadget for the article where chinese anti-terrorist police members used them. I see Sec. Officers use them on the Philly subway and king of prussia mall, and boy do they look dumb. I don't see toyota making such a big impact here. Most people will pass until more interest is shown in all things electric like the fully electric car.
Sorry missed post below, Japanese, not Chinese.
ha, you misread the post below (he says, "jealous of the Chinese SWAT team with Segways) , because you were right the first time...it is the Chinese :-)
oh well...
I agree...cool.
Putting aside the issue of "coolness" I like the fact that you can have your hands free, and the fact that you don't have two gaint ass wheels sticking out the sides. this actually looks Semi-practical for long distance and like it could fit on an escalator.
It does look just a teensy bit unstable compared to a segway though
I think the Japan Self Defense Force may be a little jealous of the Chinese SWAT team with Segways... Maybe they should read the comments on Engadget on those guys first
I think this would be better since it can climb up ramps and your hands are completely free to hold any guns you need, lol
That's weird. When I walk or run up ramps/stairs/etc., my hands are completely free as well. What, exactly, do you do with YOUR hands? Never mind, don't want to know....
All very cool until a crowd gets out of control and you need to retreat at slightly more than walking speed.
I can't help being impressed by this thing; it carries a standing human at walking speeds, without them even having to move their legs!
That's nothing, a bicycle can carry a sitting human being at a far greater speed than people can normally sit!
but you still have to move your legs.
That's nothing, a car can carry an eating human being at a far greater speed than people can normally eat!
That's nothing, a plane can carry a sh*tting human being at a far greater speed than people can normally sh*t
Yeah that's nothing because the ISS caries alot of people real fucking fast around the globe(in orbit) AND THEY DO EXPERIMENTS AND FREEZE THIS CRAP! PWND!
This looks mediocre at best, come on Plastic transporters, meh. I love the Segway and this is just a cheap copycat, cheap plastic copycat. Hell they don't even have an all terrain version. MEh Indeed!
That's nothing. A rocket can carry a vomiting human being faster than they can vomit.
Soopergooman killed it...
Yes but where's the video of the person doing a face plant as soon as you hit the slightest crack in the sidewalk. The big wheels on the Segway have a purpose. This thing would be rendered completely worthless on all but a smooth flat surface and if the novelty factor on a Segway is high, this is in the clouds.
For me, one of the lamest things about the Segway is that you can't just take it on the metro-link with you or easily store it in your office/cubical. This device seems to remove that obstacle as it greatly reduces the mass of the device. It may actually make public transportation a viable option in not so metro areas.
@Jeremy - plus if you're a cop facing an angry crowd and can't drive any faster than a walk, well then it's at least handy for bludgeoning people. That could be nice.
Awwww, look, it's a baby winglet.
Segway still has Jackie Chan!
Fix the title.
Should be
"Why? We don't know"
not "why we don't know"
Why?
We don't know
Why we? Don't know.
Why we don't? I do know!
I'm confuzzled.
I know why we don't know why we know but we know that we know that we don't know why. You know?
@ SUPERGOOMAN : Congratulations, you killed two running jokes in a row.
I want a cheap eee version of this...
Introducing the new Winglet EEE! You can work everywhere while going anywhere! *
* Assuming there is wireless connectivity. In the US, coverage may be limited because the wireless carriers are too big of cheap a$$e$ to expand their network into areas they don't make 7 digit plus revenes.
You don't know why because you're narrow-minded.
You don't shift your weight on a Segway to turn it. You use hand controls.
Guess who bought a Segway. That's simply moving.
In the new model (i2) you have to lean to steer. Go to Youtube and find a video or it and it will explain it all.
Looks like an Iphone.
This is why Engadget needs bouncers.
I dunno, that avatar makes up for the shitty post....
fap fap fap fap
Any smart Mac enthusiast would lowercase the "i" and capitalize "P" and lowercase "hone".
My friends, we have a troll.
Yeah, i was gunna say, that avvy has good enough bouncers....
'why we don't know' any grammar and most words
Man this shit scares me.
We are already too sedentary, are we gonna stop walking for good?!
They're gonna have to start makin larger sofas...
I suppose during short breaks in your marathon blog-posting weekends you are out for a spirited walk yourself, eh?