GM and Segway's P.U.M.A. makes its stage debut (with video!)
By Paul Miller 
posted Apr 7th 2009 11:06AM
posted Apr 7th 2009 11:06AM
Segway obviously brought the two-wheel mojo, and seems responsible for most of what's being shown at the moment. As opposed to the Segway's tilt-and-cringe system of navigation, the P.U.M.A. has a more regular steering wheel, but while they're currently demonstrating it with Segway-style acceleration, they plan on swapping that for "Nintendo-style" buttons behind the wheel for acceleration and braking. For GM's part, they plan to integrate its "connected vehicles" technologies to improve safety and efficiency -- and we might not see P.U.M.A. on the road until they can pull it off. The car will not only communicate with other cars and with GPS, but will sense and stop for pedestrians. They plan to show a connected version that will be available for test drives by Real Actual Humans this coming fall, and then next year will come the scariest of all unveilings: GM styling. Right now this is just a chassis, GM plans on slapping on all sorts of "fashionable" candy shells, and if the incredibly unrealistic and "futuristic" renders we saw are any indication (see the gallery below), we'd really rather do without.
The biggest obstacle to commercialization, however, is the lack of infrastructure: P.U.M.A. in its current incarnation is designed for for bike lanes, and the first cities to get it will be ones with existing, comprehensive bike lanes -- not as much of an obstacle in Europe, but quite the stretch for most American cities. Still, the mathematics are quite alluring, with a 35 mile range at 35 mph for a 35 cent charge -- even us mouth-breathing Statesiders can understand that.
Update: We added a video after the break, along with a couple outdoor shots in the gallery. The thing really does look and operate like a two-person, sit-down, Woz-free Segway. You have been warned.
Where's Kamen? He's usually all over big press stuff.
Good question. This has the most potential of having his dream of a mass accepted Segway. I wonder if his not being there indicates that he doesn't believe that it will be commercialized.
This is themst useless and stupid idea I have seen in a long time. A failing auto company pairing with a failed nerd scooter maker to make a upright rolling penis mobile..
Seriously now think about it, there is nothing cool about this. it is just plain stupid
Kamen is probably gearing up for atlanta. (people in FIRST know what i mean)
@mazuko
If you want cool, buy a Hummer, Camero or Corvette. GM makes those too. Although if they annouced anything about any of these cars, everyone would bash them for not making something like this Segway thing. Go figure.
Seriously GM?
Yeah. Please, please, please let this company just fade away.
I could probably make a suggestion that they spend their money on better things these days. Then I remembered that it's MY money.
On behalf of obama I'd like to say I now confess I made a big mistake keeping that company afloat and apologize and take full responsibility (in the politician's way by doing nothing but say that).
yeah, totally should have let GM tank and watch it drag the US down with it.... /sarcasm
"yeah, totally should have let GM tank and watch it drag the US down with it.... /sarcasm"
Yeah, cuz propping up companies based on failed business models and then using them as your nation's economic foundation makes even more sense.
Really cool and all, but 35mph is kinda-half assed.
Its not really fast enough for a normal road, and its too fast for a side-walk.
35mph is fast enough if you're travelling within the city, which 35miles range indicates thats the target. Don't forget small cc scooters/mopeds does about the same speed and they are sold by the bucket in Chinese, Taiwanese, Italian cities as well as London.
The problem is WIDTH. It is way too wide to squeeze between the cars at the traffic lights. So if you're stuck in a normal car lanes, you're just as slow. Neither can you pass a slow cyclist in a cycle lane given the typical width of cycle lanes. But it will have to stop at the red lights and it will block those cyclists trying to jump the lights, which is A Good Thing!
It should have the passenger behind the driver and like a tricycle for balance. Oh wait, that's called the Piaggio MP3! Or the future electric version of it!
So, how the hell do you stop quickly? The torque generated by 300 lbs or so above the pivot point would be way to massive for the motor to stop it in a reasonable distance... So unless it get landed onto one of those seconds sets of wheels, (where it would still have trouble not flipping over) it would take stupid long time to decelerate in the event of an impending crash.
To facilitate use on public roads they made the batteries removable even after an accident so that you can just be buried in the thing without bothering the fire department with hours of work grinding your remains out of there.
Hell NO is 35mph enough for a city. Even in the city I hit 40-50mph very frequently. Most scooters hit 50mph easy. The most impractical thing about having one of these in the city is that there is no place to charge the damn thing. And unlike a Segway I can't keep it in my apartment, and I wouldn't want to keep this parked outside for crooks to steal.
If you're living in the suburbs you could keep it in your garage and charge it up there, but driving around in the burbs at 35mph is a nuisance. A bicycle or scooter gets the job done better and is a fraction of the price. Only thing I can think this would be useful for is replacing those golf carts security people drive around in, but those golf carts are already electric and can hold a ton of things in back.
I would HATE to be driving behind this.
I have no idea how they're going to make this thing street legal. Many states have outright banned the segway, others have made them registered vehicles, rendering them useless. This thing would be autobanned in NY and many other states I'm sure
the point needs to be made again. this is perfectly suited to our under utilized bike lanes. bikes are excellent, green, effective transportation but not everyone can show up dirty, sweaty and wet to work. also, I can't drop my kid off at [insert hobby/sport] practice on a bike.
I, like many people are annoyed when I see one or two people take their giant SUV just down the street, it's wasteful. this could be an alternative for those people. yes, it's lazy and slack either way, but the Puma is way friendlier.
@lalondegeoffrey
you should watch the other videos of it going at full speed then stopping, and instantly doing a 180 back. so I'd say that not only could it avoid a crash, but it could run away from it. ever heard of regenerative breaking? plus it's not just balancing, it's counter-weighting - shifting the entire cab back to "lean" backwards to stop.
the other full speed videos make this thing look like a lot of fun and pretty practical. the Segway was a solution without a problem but this might actually be something useful. however, hope my elbow and knee won't have to stick out in the rain on the final product.
They should have kept the accelerometer for turning. Would be funny eh?
This would be cooler if it was bipedal and had arms......lol.
What wouldn't?
Oh great, just what I need... some other obstacle in the bike lane.
Bad enough I have to share it with strollers, joggers, people who don't care where they park or decide that they need a turn lane *right now*.
It's narrow minded people like you who are responsible for giving America a bad name.
I think this type of innovation is great, we just need to figure out renewable energy on a large scale first.
@Zak
Is it really narrow minded to think that an section of the road that is supposedly set aside for cyclists shouldn't be given over to a large, bulky motorized vehicle?
I applaud the engineering and innovation that goes into the PUMA, which is impressive and a first step.
However, putting these things into bicycle lanes is just nuts. Putting aside the fact that a cyclist getting hit by this thing is going to be one hurting unit, there is the fact that these things can go 35mph which is much faster than your average cyclist. So, while the engine tops out at 35mph, the driver is probably going to be 15-20mph, dodging and weaving around cyclists (and the other hazards I mentioned) increasing risk for the other people in the bicycle lane and frustrating the driver because he/she isn't getting their 35mph.
The engineering is impressive, but the some thought needs to be given to the practical use of these devices.
"The 35mph top speed means it's a road vehicle, not something you'd want to allow on pavements."
from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/apr/07/puma-segway-electric-car
By the way, "Whether you'd feel entirely comfortable sandwiched between a bus and a huge tuck is, of course, another matter.".
Bike lanes should be fenced and motorized vehicles should be banned from them. They are too dangerous as they are now, and the quality of the surface is not suitable for road bikes. Coming from a biker who has been hit by cars twice in the past 3 years.
@Zak grow up dude, you're constant bashing is annoying.
And no, this isn't that great of an 'innovation'. It's taking existing tech and making something completely worthless for lazy people. Get a bike, doesn't have a mileage limit and doesn't need to charge (which by the way, if you live in a city like I do, you realize immediately that you're SOL to charge this thing).
And for bikers: Most think they're above the law... going down one-ways the wrong way hitting unsuspecting pedestrians, not stopping at stop signs, etc. etc. So while I have sympathy towards having the dumb-ass things in your lane, just one more thing they have to deal with, like we do with them on our sideWALKS.
Anyway, go die GM, so useless.
@Dave B
"Get a bike, doesn't have a mileage limit and doesn't need to charge"
Well technically, a bike still needs to be maintained. It's not like at a certain fixed mileage number makes a car not work.
I guess one's preference of what to drive really depends just that: preference, and of course their situation (whether riding a bike is more practical to get where this certain person needs to go).
Mark Levin had a great response to a caller the other night on his radio show. The caller bragged that he converted his gas guzzler to an electric vehicle so he was doing his part to help save the environment. Mark asked him what would happen if everyone had electric cars and we got got home from work and plugged them into the grid. Where did he think that electricity was going to come from. Obama doesn't want Nuclear power plants or coal plants, where the heck is the electricity going to come from to power all these "renewable" energy vehicles. Mostly non renewable energy is used to power the grid. There is not enough wind or solar power and even if we would get more they are inconsistent and depend on the weather. They would never be enough to power this country alone. People need to wake up from that Utopian dream. Read Newt Gingrich's book "Drill Here Drill Now".
Jesus Christ! Clearly this press conference took place in an alternate universe where this product might be good for something.
Like Asia?
Ugh. Cyclists have a tough enough time in the bicycle lane without this thing clogging things up.
Haha... I find this comment somewhat ironic since it's the exact same thought that goes through drivers of motor vehicles when they see bikes in standard traffic lanes.
Yeah, I'd rather use a bike TBQH.
Q?
Whats the Q?
Qompletely? ;-)
quite guys.
I have to say, this is probably the first innovation or original concept from GM that has made me feel quasi-ok about pumping billions of tax payer $ into them. Granted they really should be working on things to deliver value today, but still...
Is this some clever sarcasm?
wow GM you're facing bankruptcy so you invent the gayest vehicle ever just to drive the nail in the coffin
LOL. My thoughts in a pithier nutshell.
Gotta hate those homosexual vehicles... Ruining companies... If only they were straight... =/
Does anyone still wonder why GM is nearing bankruptcy? This ting looks like a damn motorized wheelchair designed by a committee of high school kids.
Are you crazy? Does this look like a motorized wheelchair to you?
http://www.engadget.com/photos/gm-and-segways-p-u-m-a-makes-its-stage-debut/1475998/
No! This looks like a giant vibrator!
I thought I knew what ridiculous was, until this day..
Renders in pics 24-26...
WAAAAALLLEEEE..... EEEEEEEVVVVEEE
so GM scales back on Transformers 2 advertising funding for this??
MEET OPTIMUS PUMA
I'm no fan of GM (in fact I think they make crap) but I don't understand the reaction to this. Everyone complains that they make ridiculously inefficient vehicles but when they do the opposite everyone still complains.
Something like this would be ideal inside London where the average vehicle speed is about 11mph. It would be exempt from the congestion charge, allowed to use bus lanes so could pass queuing traffic, would be easy to park and would be cheap to run. Sure, it's not the best looking vehicle in the world but it's designed for functionality not looks. It seems like a good idea to me and the only thing I'd like to see changed is for it to be fully enclosed so you don't get wet on the way to work.
agreed. I'm not too excited about this vehicle, but I think GM is looking in the right direction. if they started thinking like this 15 years ago, they might not be in such a mess.
I am not sure how this is "looking in the right direction"? GM's biggest problem is that they make vehicles that people don't want to buy, and this is probably one of the more egregious examples of that.
Advanced gyros are cool but I don't really see them used to benefit anything in this vehicle - what can it do that a motorized wheelchair can't? Why are we supposed to use it? If I'd want to get into this class of vehicle I'd get a bicycle. If I were lazy, I'd get a bicycle with electric motor assist.
It took him 8 years but Bush finally said something that's worth repeating: You don't put good money after bad. Let GM fail, don't put it on life support so it can fail sometime later.
@Nikster
"...GM's biggest problem is that they make vehicles that people don't want to buy..."
Yeah, that's why they were the worldwide leader in car sales for 77 years.
http://www.roadandmore.com/rnmforum/topic/39.html
When did everyone become sheep?
Why did the government bail them out in the first place? What a waste of all that taxpayers money.
The government didn't bail out GM. That's why they are going into bankruptcy. They gave them a small loan which amounts to maybe half of what AIG (not counting any of the other financial institutions) just got in *extra* bailout money on top of the 180+ billion that they already received. 200+ billion vs. what, 10 billion? And they have to pay it back with interest? Chump change. That's like giving a homeless person a quarter.
Everyone needs to stop screaming about wanting feul efficient vehicles if they don't really want them. GM makes larger vehicles that get great gas mileage also. They aren't stopping production on all of their other cars to just make this.
Everyone needs to stop complaining that GM makes nothing but big honking trucks and SUVs. That's half of what I see on the road so obviously people are buying them and still want them.
If GM was the only car company selling half the cars that they were a year ago, I'd give that to you, but they aren't. No one is selling cars right now. Not Ford. Not even Toyota. GM is just getting getting hit the hardest because they're the biggest and have the most overhead...and everyone seems to think that we're talking about Microsoft Vista or something. Don't worry though. They'll do the same thing that Microsoft did. They'll kill off GM and rebrand the same exact thing under a different name and everyone will love it and be championing how much better it is. Excuse me while I venture off to some place where people know how to think for themselves.
Didn'd they get tens of billions of dollars, and are asking for more? My small business could use that kind of chump change.
@Frogboy
er...what?! The Government did bailout GM, gave them tens of billions of dollars in taxpayer money. Money that was suppose to be paid back, but they obviously can't since they are still getting ready for bankruptcy. They can't even survive with all those billions they already go from taxpayers, and now they are asking for more.
AIG and GM make a good pair.
**** News Flash ****
GM has accepted more than $13 billion in federal bailout funds in the past year, and has asked for another $16 billion. Chrysler LLC also has accepted bailout funds. Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) has been the only one of Detroit’s Big Three automakers not to take federal funds.
http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/stories/2009/04/06/daily6.html
American International Group (AIG.N) , which has received $180 billion in taxpayer aid since last fall to save it from collapse, disclosed on March 15 that it had paid more than $90 billion to Goldman and to European banks including Germany's Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE), France's Societe Generale (SOGN.PA), and Britain's Barclays (BARC.L).
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssBanks/idUSN0747894120090407
***********************
Again, 13 billion vs. 180 billion (and I could have swore that they just got another 20 but I could be wrong). Chump change.
Looks like AIG is a little more complicated than I initially thought but still. Shows you what the government thinks about the 10% of the American workers that are going to be SOL if the big three end up chapter 13. Don't listen to me though. Let's all storm GM with torches and pitchforks and demand that they pay back the gazillions of dollars in bailout money for wasting their time with something that might be highly marketable in Europe and Asia. It's probably a good thing that they are developing vehicles for other parts of the world. They probably want to get the hell out of here.
If this is one of their attempts to show they are sending an ailing company in the right direction, then one word comes to mind...FAIL. Its called a bike. Get one. Hell this makes Smart cars look reeeeally good. Maybe their angle trying is to encourage an obese America to slim down so two people can actually comfortably fit in this black pill. Ah that must be it!!! I retract all previous statements.
P.U.M.A. (Please Unmake Me ASAP)
This doesn't seem that far fetched using existing technology. I'm just not sure why they couldn't build this today.
Something just doesn't jive with me.. GM says they're going to start building the Volt on 6/1, it's much larger, much heavier.. but gets similar range out of batteries. This thing is 1/10th that size but it is just a concept?
It is cool, but if you take a step back... not sure how this is a better option than say a bicycle.
Best,
AC
Looks like that bailout money is being put to good use.
When I saw that pic the first thing I thought of was Running Man.
To all you folks saying you'd rather just use a bike... what if you want to get to the other side of town?
I'm all for biking, but beyond a 5 mile trip or so I'd be a sweaty mess once arriving to my destination. This seems perfect for 10-20 mile commutes.
Yeah if you leave 2 years in advance since you you'll top out at 35mph. Plus you are in the bike lanes, which means you could actually get caught behind bikers going even slower. I'm sure the cities that use bike lanes (not sure the %) have people on bikes that utilize them often. I guess it would depend on how wide the bike lanes are. In Houston, this thing would barley fit.
I normally use a car
I don't understand all the people saying to get a bike. I want a vehicle for my wife and I to get to work and home. We work at the same place. How is a bike going to help? Bikes shouldn't even be allowed on the road. They never follow the traffic laws making it harder for everyone to have to avoid hitting them.
The reason so many people are balking at this is that the US is not set up for this in most places.
That, and most people online like to piss on ANYTHING new. For some reason, being a douche bag has become fashionable. At least, that is how it appears to be going, sadly.
+1
Highly Impractical, Waste of time and resources considering the dire situation GM is currently in. Hate to nay-say the ideas and innovation, but seriously, GM needs to trim pet projects like this and get their main business back in line.
Weak.
and this is what they did with the bail out money...
"Use a bike" You guys believe that everyone else thinks like you?
How about professionals that don't want to sweat before getting to work? Or, old folks, or the partially disabled, or people who don't want to get totally wet?
As for the "mouth breathing statesiders" comment. Funny, how it wasn't our European superiors that came up with this but may end up liking it the most .
I can almost hear GM pooping out of existence.....
Why not just walk? It is no wonder Americans, and now us Brits, are getting so fat and the business of making money from diabeties continues to baloon. 35 mlle range? a) In cities, that is fine but why not take a cab? b) In the country, the hills are too steep.
I'd much rather ride in this than take a cab (cheaper and WAY more efficient).
Also, 35MPH is faster than I've ever been able to go on a bike, and last I checked bikes are STREET LEGAL in the USA. They are NOT restricted to bike lanes, and this wouldn't be either.
The main attraction I see is that this could be an enclosed vehicle, with a safety cage, giving the passengers the possibility of surviving when a moron in an SUV talking on a cell phone hits them (as opposed to a bike, where you're pretty much guaranteed to be killed).
Now, after saying all that, I personally still couldn't use one. And I'm betting the price will be completely ridiculous (this is GM we're talking about).
BTW. Wired.com has pictures showing the device out on the streets of New York.
My Goodness, the blue "thing" is just ridiculous. Do they sat down and discussed that shape before showing it to the world??????????? I can't believe it. Unless every GM manager is gay. Damn
oh great. So in the future, nobody will walk anywhere. That's great for exercise. Ready to get fat everybody?
If people could walk 35mph and not break a sweat, then there would be no use for this thing.
I do agree that Americans don't walk enough though.
You will have to take it to the gym so that you can stay slim enough to fit in it. That, sir, is how they get ya.
If you don't want to exercise, there are plenty of ways to do that already.
Now how about a single seat version that actually is remotely comfortable?
While this clearly isn't beautiful (and it likely wasn't meant to be), this does look like a possible step in the right direction. Looking strictly at its specs, it's easy to discern this wasn't meant for open highways (who would want to get into an accident at 80 on one of those???). Rather, this is obviously meant for city dwellers and commuters, and likely designed to cater to people who might consider an 80cc scooter as their method of commute. Regarding the comments regarding bikes, I agree that bikes are great for short jaunts, but long trips, especially in the rain, snow, and cold of a city like Chicago or Minneapolis, can make bike commuting a dreadful experience. It's amazing to me that when GM finally takes steps that are different, or, dare I say it, innovative, they're criticized for it, when it appears evident that their "more of the same" attitude is what got them into trouble.
For the record half the people complaining about it are mad because it's not a post about an iPhone. The other half are mad because it's not about a Blackberry.
What the frack!
Is this there new business model?
A rickshaw with a motor, are we living in china (old china at that).
-
mark my words, this will never see the light of day, its simply dumb.
first they thaught ppl wanted humers (a tank with wheels) now its a rickshaw with a motor.
if this is what GM's new model for the future then they need to go to the grave and let Honda and Nissan take over.
Not built for the typical engadget reader. Over at Gothamist, those New York readers were quite positive, even when the writer most dismissed the concept. Big City guys think differently.
http://gothamist.com/2009/04/07/segway_puma.php
Finally the nail in the coffin to convince people GM should go bankrupt.
Can anybody tell me why this is better than a golf cart? it's smaller and it even seems more uncomfortable. If speed is the issue, it might be cheaper to mod one of those than to create a new product that nobody will get. Just a thought.
It takes up less space when parked.
Disabled people of the world rejoice! Now you can buddy up!
The official vehicle for bitter Hillary Clinton fans.
This PUMA could be huge, but much needs to happen before it can be realized. We have to take steps to move forward. This is far more useful than the Tata India is making. We all need to be VERY afraid of a dirt cheap gasoline powered vehicle. When the billion+ folks in India buy those things, you will be begging for more no gas powered vehicles to give you relief from the $8/gallon gasoline.
My only other concern is how many charges, where are they getting this 35 cents per charge figure, and what do I do when I run out of juice half way home (read, what kind of battery "gas can" will I be walking with)?
so this is where our bailout money has been going?
Doesn't look like they spent an awful lot on that to be honest.
> designed for for bike lanes, and the first cities to get it will be
> ones with existing, comprehensive bike lanes -- not as much
> of an obstacle in Europe
I'm not aware of anywhere where it would be legal to use this in a bike lane.
And I wouldn't want to share a bike lane with it either: it's too wide and too fast.
You Americans should obviously stick to your gas guzzlers. You don't want to accept anything else, so what's the point?
There is one good thing about it, it's clearly not made to carry fat people, unless they make a single seat version for overweight people.
They would have to price this thing under $1000 to have any chance. When you can buy a really good scooter for $2500-2000 that gets 90mpg I do not see the point in this.
Or you can buy a really good 250cc motorcycle that gets 60-70mpg for $3000.
Vehicles like this have been showing up at auto shows since the 1950's. Remember the Jetsons. People really thought we would have flying cars 50 years in the future. My bet is 50 years from now we still will not be riding around in anything that resembles the PUMA.
Oh boy, a Segway built for two...
If the Segway was a fail, why would this be any better?
This is just bling bling !
Too little too late !
When I see Chevrolet promising an all electric car like the Volt and I see all the nice "prototypes" that will never make it to market that the ostensibly show off I can only think that the big three just takes us for stuffing bags !
Cut the crap and give us energy-efficient-not-oil-dependent-cars that will be affordable now, not tomorrow.
It should be against the law and 100% unpatriotic to make cars that further puts us to the mercy of foreign oil producing countries !
Period !
Stop showing off and start rethinking the whole production line !
I hope it's more than just a glorified electric wheelchair.
Seriously, how much battery juice does it waste just staying balanced?
If they ever make a Family Matters reunion show...I can this being Steve Urkels transportation of choice