The ‘automatic balancing ability’ of the Segway transporter has apparently failed in balancing performance vis-a-vis cost of production; and, subsequent pricing for retail ownership. It has been announced that this possibly commercially-viable vehicle will no longer be produced due to lack of world-wide sales.
As International Businessmen with decades of experience in ideation of products based on exotic materials and metals, preliminary design, manufacturing cost estimating, production, and marketing, we have seen potentially ‘great’ products, of others fail. Many of these ‘goods’ would be able to help people become more productive in their daily lives. Quite often, a potential manufacturer of a product wants great unit profits to be in their business plan. The fact that buyers might not value the product at the same price-point, is of little concern. So, the item is manufactured, offered for sale, and sits in the ‘showroom’ with no buyers.
As to Segway, a lack of well-engineered stopping capability in the vehicle, and apparent lack of operator controlled-sensitivity adjustments, as designed, doomed it to sales failure. A novice operator should have more ‘retarded’ velocity/vector capacity than of an experienced user, such as policemen patrolling avenues. Furthermore, in such a example, braking should be enhanced electronically for the novice.
All of us thought the Segway was a great move forward in personal transportation; we still do. However, a advanced iteration of this platform will be essential. This, if the present Chinese owners hope to sell their product. Right now, one might ask: “Show me where the “$5,000.00″ is built into this product.” [On a mass-production scale, it is not apparent.] If they cannot, then the ‘Price/Value’ relationship is overloaded by the price; it will NOT sell.
A ‘fairly good product’ at a “too-high” price will not sell; a ‘very good product’ at a “too-high” price, may suffer the same fate. An old aircraft adage: “If it is designed well, it will fly well; If priced well, the ‘bird’ will sell well.” applies, even to Segways.
Reality: It is not the marketed product, at a particular price-point, that is important; but, the consumer’s estimation of the value to be received by that product, at that cost to he or she, that makes a sale or not.