August 4, 2008

Watch Out Segway, There’s a Toyota Winglet On Your Tail.

Toyota’s “Winglet,” a personal personal transport assistance robot, was unveiled in Tokyo two days ago and it sure looks like it might give the ’segway’ a run for it’s money. It looks a lot lighter and easier to manouvre.

But don’t be putting it on the christmas list yet. The Winglet is still in the research and development stage with no plans of release. Toyota is planning to conduct tests to determine it’s effectiveness and usefullness this autumn at the Central Japan International Airport (Centrair) near Nagoya, and Laguna Gamagori, a seaside marine resort complex in Aichi Prefecture.

(news source and video source)

3 comments

3 comments to Watch Out Segway, There’s a Toyota Winglet On Your Tail.

  1. Boedus Travel Blog - Web Digest of Travel Resources » Blog Archive » Watch Out Segway, There’sa Toyota Winglet On Your Tail.
    August 4th, 2008 at 2:36 am

    [...] Continue here: Watch Out Segway, There’sa Toyota Winglet On Your Tail. [...]

  2. Shane
    August 4th, 2008 at 9:17 pm

    Love the title of this post Liz! This has been all over the news here in Japan but I really don’t see how effective it will be on the busy sidewalks of Tokyo. The city would need to create special lanes otherwise I can imagine a rash of Winglet injuries taking flight when careless riders clip unsuspecting walkers.

  3. Liz Lewis
    August 5th, 2008 at 6:31 am

    thanks Shane. I thought it had a nice ring to it.
    The winglet’s sound neat but the practicality of it makes you wonder — as you say, where would they run — the sidewalks should really only be for walkers, and the roads wouldn’t be safe. Guess time will tell. All I know is I want to try one. I took a Segway tour when I was in Madrid and I was hooked — it was so much fun!!!

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