Why no release yet?

[zeppo123]

After seeing the post on the UK article I thought I would start a new thread. At the slow rate we are seeing Segs being sold to the Post Office and others, it seems like they are taking a huge risk of regulation or a negative perception by the public. After almost a year since the reveal most of us still have never seen one in person. I can understand their original concerns and reasons for a slow controlled intro but this is getting absurd. Opponents can use scare tactics with no evidence of danger to hinder Segway but without a mass release Segway can't expect politicians or the general public to embrace them. We have 2 months before Christmas, It is time to sell and let the public decide if Segway has a future. What possible reasons could they have to keep waiting?

[n/a]

quote:What possible reasons could they have to keep waiting?

1. They are waiting for Segway legislation to be passed to allow sidewalk use.
2. They are waiting because they need to do more testing of use of Segways in cities.
3. They may continue to have to focus on the niche markets before they take on the consumer market.
4. They have to set up dealerships, distribution, service networks.
5. They may be waiting for the economy to pick up.

Those are the reasons I can think of from the top of my head.

[ftropea]

I don't think they'll wait for the legislation to pass in all 50 state before they reveal/release the consumer version. I expect we'll hear something before the end of this year... possibly the ability to pre-order Segways or maybe be able to participate in consumer version test trials (beta testing) in selected cities. I don't get a sense that there is anything holding them back at all... I feel they're on target and have a plan in hand.

Also, I expect they'll handle the initial sales/training - at least initially - and as Segways become more popular, and proliferate, they'll probably establish and announce relationships with resellers/distributors.

All I want for Christmas this year is a Segway PT - Personal Transporter?

Regards,

Frank A. Tropea

[n/a]

quote:All I want for Christmas this year is a Segway PT - Personal Transporter?

Is that all? U are not very demanding Frank.;)

As to the delay, some recent rumours still say the consumer model may be released this year, but Kamen did state he wanted the commercial market to be well established. (I cant recall his exact phrase.)

quote:...I don't get a sense that there is anything holding them back at all... I feel they're on target and have a plan in hand.


In Time Magazine, a Segway representitive was quoted to have said that Segway would be ready to churn out 40,000 Segways a month by the end of 2002. Doesnt that indicate that they are behind schedule?

[ftropea]

Well, we don't really know how many Segways they are producing now.. although we do have a good sense of their capabilities to do so. Also, we don't know how many pre-orders they have.. anticipate.. or where/when the consumer version fits into the picture.

We lack a lot of information.. aren't privy to the deals on the table... I can only imagine things are progressing at a steady, albeit slow pace (I blame the economy - who is really tearing up the consumer market these days anyway?) - and I expect there is no sense of panic/concern over at Segway LLC.

They have a product.. they know it works.. they have part suppliers and a place to assemble them.. and I'm sure they have some sort of plan. They've done so much work already, the rest is almost the "fun" part - although probably not fun for Kamen :) He's probably lost in his shop working on an entirely different project.. or maybe the next version of Segway - maybe the uniball version? :)

Regards,

Frank A. Tropea

[Blinky]

Zeppo123 writes..
quote:After seeing the post on the UK article I thought I would start a new thread. At the slow rate we are seeing Segs being sold to the Post Office and others, it seems like they are taking a huge risk of regulation or a negative perception by the public. After almost a year since the reveal most of us still have never seen one in person. I can understand their original concerns and reasons for a slow controlled intro but this is getting absurd. Opponents can use scare tactics with no evidence of danger to hinder Segway but without a mass release Segway can't expect politicians or the general public to embrace them. We have 2 months before Christmas, It is time to sell and let the public decide if Segway has a future. What possible reasons could they have to keep waiting?
Perhaps the most simplest answer to your question of why they are not released sooner is because Kamen/Segway don't want to rush it. I would think they are taking the slower route for all the safe reasons. The more careful they are it may be less likely that there would be any problems(God only knows what) to face.

I think Segway are doing the right things so far. I think their campaign could be more 'public'. They could voice out more. It seems as thought their inactivity with publishing and the other things they could be doing is giving them more of a negative response from the public than anything right now. In result could be the 'road block' to the official release of the Segway-HT.