Segway Inc. made a name for itself through its two-wheeled transportation machine. But in a surprising move, the company released a three-wheeled vehicle named the Segway SE-3 Patroller.
The SE-3 Patroller is designed for public safety patrols that requires the rider to mount and dismount the machine constantly, such as airport security personnel.
Segway made the move to appeal to its biggest consumers - the public safety agencies and police departments. According to Segway, more than 1,500 public safety agencies and police departments use Segway vehicles in their patrols.
The SE-3 Patroller has two wheels on the back and one wheel in the front, and runs on several rechargeable lithium ion batteries that can be plugged into standard electricity outlets or can be swapped out for fresh ones. The vehicle also comes with an independent direct rear wheel drive and can move in reverse and turn tight corners. In addition, it comes with emergency lights, headlights, brake lights, a siren and storage compartments.
The vehicle is also equipped with a 4.3-inch screen that displays specifics regarding the SE-3 Patroller, including the vehicle's speed, power supply status and distance travelled. The SE-3 Patroller also uses rider detection technology to stop the running motor once it detects that there is nobody on board.
Segway says that the SE-3 Patroller will be highly visible in locations where it can be used, where two-wheeled Segways will not be visible and where patrol cars, on the other hand, would be too large.
"It's an ideal match for applications that require a larger vehicle, which can display a more visible and obvious security and community relations presence (even in a parked position without a rider aboard), or that require a rider to frequently mount and dismount the vehicle during a patrol," Segway said.
"Police and security customers will appreciate the SE-3's overall design and specific features," said Segway general manager of Global Patrol, Government Business and Robotics Chip MacDonald. "It will bring enhanced visibility and versatility to community policing and security patrol programs."
The SE-3 Patroller will begin selling to the public safety sector in June and comes with a base MSRP of US$11,999. For now, the SE-3 Patroller will not be made available for sale to the general public.
Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway two-wheeled personal mobility device and founder of the DEKA company, recently received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a mind-controlled prosthetic limb.
