Segway and General Motors Corp. (GM) announced their partnership last week at the New York Auto Show when they revealed the prototype for Project P.U.M.A. (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility). Project P.U.M.A. revolutionizes the transportation industry by using innovative technologies from both Segway and GM to develop a two-person electric prototype vehicle that miraculously balances on two wheels. With more people choosing to live in cities – for both the amenities available and the geographic convenience to their jobs – streets are becoming overcrowded with vehicles. Pollution continues to be a growing problem. Parking can be a nightmare – due to both expense and a lack of spots – in many large cities. The idea behind Project P.U.M.A. is to help alleviate some of these problems by developing a vehicle that provides a greener, more efficient way to travel.
"Project P.U.M.A. represents a unique solution to moving about and interacting in cities, where more than half of the world's people live," said Larry Burns, GM vice president of research and development, and strategic planning. "Imagine small, nimble electric vehicles that know where other moving objects are and avoid running into them. Now, connect those vehicles in an Internet-like web and you can greatly enhance the ability of people to move through cities, find places to park and connect to their social and business networks."
If you are familiar with – or even had the opportunity to try – one of Segway's Personal Transporters, the notion of a two-person, battery-operated vehicle based on the same concept might seem impossible. The foundation of the Personal Transporter revolves around balance and subtle movements of its passenger. Through dynamic stabilization, the Project P.U.M.A prototype uses angular rate sensors and accelerometers to determine the orientation and motion of the vehicle's platform. If you want to accelerate, you push the steering console forward, which adjusts the center of mass of the vehicle. To stop the vehicle, you do the opposite.
The technology behind electric propulsion precisely adjusts how the wheels work, whether maneuvering tight corners or stopping. And similar to the Personal transporters, the P.U.M.A. prototype vehicle employs intuitive user interface – as opposed to the buttons and switches that we depend on in our traditional gas-guzzling vehicles. The current prototype can travel at speeds between 25 to 35 mph and carries two passengers. However, part of the prototype research involves the exploration of a vehicle that can accommodate more than two people. A single charge of its lithium-ion battery – which takes about 5 to 8 hours – can take you up to 24 miles on a superiorly cleaner ride and costs only about $.60 of electricity to recharge.
Since the P.U.M.A. vehicle is still in the prototype development and testing phase, there is not a release date or pricing available. To learn more about Project P.U.M.A. or to subscribe to the Segway newsletter, visit Segway.com/puma.
