LAS VEGAS - Every year at CES, I anticipate a moment that makes me smile Like the first time you put on a VR headset or the first time you see an OLED TV you can roll around in And I experienced that moment when I test-drove the new Segway S-Pod

When I heard about the S-Pod, I was quite skeptical; the S-Pod is a two-wheeled, self-balancing vehicle designed for enclosed spaces like airports, shopping malls, theme parks, and corporate campuses But driving it here at the Segway booth at CES 2020 felt thrilling, futuristic, and surprisingly intuitive

The S-Pod looks like an oversized rolling gaming chair with multiple LED lights But this is a means of transportation designed to run at speeds of up to 24 miles per hour It has two large wheels for driving and one small wheel in the front and back to balance the S-Pod when it is reclined for driving and to lift itself up when it is dismounted from the vehicle

The S-Pod has a plush seat feel when sitting down and two oversized armrests On the right side there is a joystick and a button to raise and lower the seat On the left side is a slot for a tablet and a separate button to sound the S-Pod's horn

What is the tablet used for? But the greatest feature is the ability to remotely control the S-Pod with the slate (Segway used a Surface Pro for the demo) The tablet shows a live video feed and allows you to move the S-Pod as if you were using a joystick, which amazed onlookers

After putting on his helmet and signing a liability waiver, he sat in the pod and reclined into the riding position with the push of a button

From there, he began to ride the course using a small joystick It was a little awkward at first, but once I got the hang of it, the ride was smooth; the S-Pod is powerful, so I had to be careful with the joystick The pod can go up to 24 mph, but the demo was capped at 7 mph

The joystick made turning easy I did a couple of 360 degree turns on a wide section of the course with very little effort The LED lights on the back of the chairs flash automatically when turning, so there is no need to put on the blinkers, which is a nice touch

When driving the S-Pod, I didn't need to take a break because I could stop just by stopping to accelerate

When all was said and done, I simply pressed a button on the S-Pod and the device automatically lifted me to a standing position I swayed a little, but I never tipped over or felt like I was going to fall

I know the S-Pod was inspired by the gyrosphere in Jurassic Park But this is not just a futuristic concept Introduced in a corporate environment this year, Segway is aiming for a consumer release as early as 2021 Unfortunately, no word on pricing or release date, but it definitely won't be cheap

I can't wait to ride again

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