Epic fail: Segway

“Bigger than the internet.” Such was the (reported) prediction of venture capitalist John Doerr when the Segway – the original self balancing, electric, two wheeled scooter – first whirred silently onto the scene at the turn of the millennium.

In the strictly physical sense, Doerr was correct. Because, while the entire internet is estimated to weigh no more than 60g even now, the first Segway tipped the scales at a bulky 30-odd kilos. So, yes, physically bigger. In every other sense, however, Doerr was wrong. The Segway project was to prove a shipwreck. 

Its aim was noble: to replace heavy, bulky passenger cars as a preferred means of urban transportation. Trouble was, when it came to getting around cities, humans already had many other convenient options: bicycles, scooters, legs. The Segway didn’t offer a notable improvement on any of these. The first gen ‘PT’ model topped out at around 10mph, with a range of about 10 miles.

The self levelling tech – which used tilt sensors and gyroscopic sensors to keep the Segway unerringly erect – was interesting, but one thing you’ll notice about humans is that they’re generally pretty good at self levelling of their own accord, even while riding a bike or scooter. Of course there are plenty of folk who require assistance with support or mobility, but the Segway didn’t better cater to this audience than the existing three- and four-wheeled options.

Most crucially, it made its rider look naff. Segway hoped its creation would say to the world, “Welcome to the swooshy future”. It didn’t. It said: “When did nan get a job as a store security guard?”

Unsurprisingly, Segway’s projected sales of half a million units a year never materialised. Not even close. In 2009, the company was sold to a British businessman, who promptly died after riding his Segway off a cliff. Production terminated for good in 2020, with barely 140,000 Segways ever produced. Bigger than the internet? Barely bigger than Betamax...