 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
ABOUT US
Segway Milestones |
|
| |
|
1999 |
July 27, 1999
Renowned inventor Dean Kamen founded a new company with
the vision to develop highly-efficient, zero-emission
transportation solutions using “dynamic stabilization”
technology. The Company’s research and development was
focused on creating devices that took up a minimal amount
of space, were extremely maneuverable and could operate
on pedestrian sidewalks and pathways.
|
| 2001 |
February 2001
The Company broke ground for its manufacturing plant in
Bedford, New Hampshire.
November 2001
Construction of the Segway manufacturing and assembly
plant was completed.
December 1, 2001
The Company adopted the name Segway LLC.
December 3, 2001
Segway unveiled the Segway? Personal Transporter (PT),
the first self-balancing transportation device, to the
public for the first time.
|
2002 |
January 2002
The first pre-production Segway PTs were manufactured.
February 15, 2002
The first state bill allowing Electric Personal Assistive
Mobility Devices (EPAMDs) to operate on sidewalks is signed
into law in the Company’s home state of New Hampshire.
Within the year, a total of 31 states passed laws allowing
the Segway PT to operate on sidewalks.
March 21, 2002
The first production model of the Segway PT (serial number
022111000001) and a commemorative birth certificate were
presented to Dean Kamen, chairman and founder of Segway.
March 29, 2002
Segway auctioned three limited edition Segway PTs on Amazon.com
to benefit FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science
and Technology), a non-profit organization founded by
Dean Kamen. The auction generated a combined total of
$364,800.00 for FIRST and drew more than 500 bids from
across the country. Segway PT #1 sold for $160,100, Segway
#2 for $104,100, and Segway #3 for $100,600.
April 23, 2002
The city of Atlanta embraced the Segway PT and deployed
a fleet of units to be used by the Central Atlanta Progress
Ambassador Force, the Atlanta Regional Commission, Georgia
Power and the Atlanta Police Department. All are still
utilizing their Segway PTs in day-to-day operations.
August 28, 2002
Segway PT enthusiasts launched www.segwaychat.com to create
a community of Segway HT enthusiasts and soon-to-be owners
who would “educate the public, share information, stories,
and photos about the ownership experience, and promote
safe and responsible gliding”. Within one year more than
1,400 people joined the forum.
November 8, 2002
Popular Science Magazine awarded the Segway PT with a
2002 Best of What's New Award in the general technology
category. Popular Science reviews thousands of new products
and innovations each year to honor the world's most outstanding
breakthroughs. The Segway PT was among only 100 winners.
November 18, 2002
Segway Personal Transporters went on sale to the public
for the first time on Amazon.com. The Company hosted an
Early Delivery Essay Contest and 30 lucky winners received
their Segway PTs before the holiday gift-giving season,
a tour of Segway headquarters and dinner with Dean Kamen.
|
2003 |
February 2003
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contracted
with Segway to convert fifteen Segway PTs into Segway
Robotic Mobility Platforms (RMPs). Segway developed the
platform to serve as a reliable, cost-effective tool for
research institutions and delivered the units to DARPA
in April. In June 2003 DARPA worked with SPAWAR Systems
Center, San Diego to distribute the units to 14 government
and university research institutions to use in robotic
research projects.
August 29, 2003
Two hundred Segway PT owners and enthusiasts gathered
in Chicago, Ill. for the first Segwayfest, an event created,
organized and implemented by Segway PT owners to celebrate
the Segway PT ownership experience. Enthusiasts from all
over the world have attended Segwayfests held in Bonita
Springs, Fla. (2004); Sacramento, Calif., Washington D.C.,
and at Segway headquarters in Bedford, N.H. (2005).
|
2004 |
March 22, 2004
The Company announced its 2004 U.S. dealer expansion program
to recruit qualified dealers to distribute, market and
sell the company’s line of Segway PTs, accessories and
associated services. As of August 2006, more than 100
Authorized Segway Dealerships exist in the U.S. Outside
of the U.S., more than 150 retail points sell Segway PTs.
March 30, 2004
The Segway Enthusiasts Group (SEG) announced the inauguration
of the national SEG America organization, an independent
group created to enhance the Segway PT ownership experience.
Local groups around the world organize group rides, activities
like Segway PT polo and opportunities where members can
share ideas and experiences about the Segway PT. SEG America
is “an independent voice for its members and seeks to
maintain and expand people’s freedom to use alternative
transportation options like the Segway PT and to increase
community awareness of the benefits of Segway products”.
As of July 2006 SEG America has more than 40 local groups
and approximately 3,900 members in more than 20 countries.
October 2004
The U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Highway
Administration released a study entitled “Characteristics
of Emerging Road Users & Their Safety”. It was undertaken
to clarify the operational characteristics of both motorized
and non-motorized transportation users. The Segway PT
was found to have the second shortest braking distance,
highest eye heights, one of the smallest footprints, and
quickest perception-reaction time. The Segway PT met or
exceeded all recommendations made by the American Association
of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
Guide to the Development of Bicycle Facilities.
October 2004
Segway begins expansion of its international distribution
network by signing on Segway Authorized Distributors.
As of August 2006, more than 150 retail points outside
of the U.S. sell Segway PTs.
October 10-12, 2004
More than 120 dealer representatives attended Segway’s
first dealer meeting in Bonita Springs, Fla. to preview
the 2005 product line and participate in best practices
workshops. International distributors from France, Italy,
Korea, Kuwait, and Taiwan also attended.
November
29, 2004
TIME Magazine features Segway's four-wheeled prototype
which can operate either statically balanced or balanced
on its rear wheels as one of the “Best Inventions of 2004”
in its Nov. 29th issue.
December 3, 2004
The City of Lille, France and Keolis Group, a private
transportation company in France, opened the first “Oxygen
Network”. The Oxygen Network is made up of an Oxygen Station?
and an Oxygen Boutique that rent zero-emission transportation
devices like Segway PTs and electric bikes to the public.
People can rent devices at a train station and drop if
off at another station or kiosk for a cost based on the
time used. This was the first implementation of the Segway
PT as a last-mile solution in a public transportation
system consisting of buses, trains and automobiles.
|
2005 |
March 1, 2005
Segway announced the Segway Cross-Terrain Transporter
(XT) and Segway Golf Transporter (GT), as well as a refresh
of the flagship i Series model. Each new product is equipped
with extended-range Saphion? Lithium-ion batteries. The
Segway XT features all-terrain tires, a robust fender
design, and specially tuned software for riding over varied
terrain. The Segway GT enables a golfer to play up to
36 holes and features a golf bag carrier and enhanced
traction tires.
September 2005
Segway LLC incorporates and transforms from a limited
liability corporation into Segway Inc.
October 7, 2005
Segway announced plans to license its Segway? Smart Motion?
technology to third-party companies and in some cases
co-develop products with other manufacturers using the
technology.
November 16, 2005
U.S President George W. Bush presents a Segway PT to Japanese
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
December 12, 2005
In a ceremony held at Epcot? at Walt Disney World? Resort,
the ten thousandth participant in the “Around the World
at Epcot” tour was honored with a Segway PT from Segway
Inc. “Around the World at Epcot” is a two-hour guided
tour that allows guests to operate a Segway PT throughout
World Showcase before the area opens for other park guests.
|
2006 |
February 7, 2006
Segway Inc. becomes an Official Licensee for the Turin
2006 20th Winter Olympics. As part of a joint venture
with HT Italia, 20 Segway PT "Special Edition"
models were produced and used by members of the Torino
Organizing Committee for the XX Olympic Winter Games (TOROC).
Members of TOROC operations staff were issued a Segway
PT SE model to use around the three Olympic Villages in
Turin, Sestriere and Bardonecchia.
February 9, 2006
Researchers at Universities of Arkansas and Tennessee
announce the results of a study comparing the impact of
a Segway Golf Transporter (GT) and a golf cart on golf
course turf. The conclusion of the 30-day study showed
that the Segway GT is gentler on the turf than a golf
cart and using the Segway GT helps to maintain better
turf coverage, color and quality than a golf cart, while
minimizing soil compaction.
March 2006
A three-month study, “Segway in Public Spaces”,was completed
by the German Federal Board for Road Traffic. Braking,
steering and general handling of the Segway PT were found
to be very favorable. The study also reports that Segway
PTs are best suited for bicycle lanes and pedestrian traffic
areas.
April 2006
The Centre for Electric Vehicle Experimentation in Quebec
(CEVEQ) completed a two-phase study that examined the
use of the Segway PT and motorized personal transportation
devices (MPTD) in pedestrian environments. In the first
phase, completed in May 2004, CEVEQ studied the ergonomic,
operational and technical aspects of the devices. The
Segway PTs compared favorably to other types of devices
and were far superior in the area of stability as compared
to bicycles and mopeds. In the second phase the Segway
PT was used by 143 participants riding more than 9,000
kilometers on sidewalks, paths, and roadway shoulders,
in three major city located in the Province of Quebec.
The report noted that no incident or serious injury, nor
any Segway PT/pedestrian collision or physical interference,
was reported during the evaluation. After two years of
evaluation, CEVEQ recommended that Segway PTs should be
allowed on urban pedestrian areas and that such use would
have little impact on user safety and still less on the
safety of pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and other walkway
users.
May 30, 2006
Segway announced that the City of Chicago released a five-year
contract to purchase Segway PTs and associated accessories,
replacement parts and service. This contract, which was
awarded to Segway Experience of Chicago LLC, is the largest
municipal contract in the history of Segway. The Chicago
contract will allow the city to acquire up to 100 additional
Segway PTs for use by a number of city departments, including
Police, Fire, Airport Operations and Emergency Management.
The city already owned more than 50 units. Worldwide,
more than 150 law enforcement and security organizations
use Segway PTs to patrol. Another dozen federal and municipal
agencies use the products for bomb squad response and
explosive ordinance disposal.
May 31, 2006
GE Consumer Finance’s Retail Sales Finance unit and Segway
Inc. announce a new multi-year relationship to provide
revolving financing on the purchase of Segway PTs and
accessories under GE's FUNancing Card program.
June 12, 2006
University of California, Berkeley’s Institute of Transportation
Studies and the California Department of Transportation
(Caltrans) implement a unique new alternative transportation
program called EasyConnect. The program offers commuters
who ride the BART or ride-share to the Pleasant Hill Bay
Area Rapid Transit (BART) station the opportunity to utilize
one of ten Segway PTs free-of-charge for the last few
miles of their commute to the office. This is the first
time Segway PTs will be used in an inter-modal public
transit system in the U.S.
August 14, 2006
Segway takes self-balancing technology to the next level
with the introduction of the second generation Segway
PT. The new Segway product line includes the versatile
Segway i2 and a cross-terrain model called the Segway
x2, as well as six product packages tailored to specific
commercial, police and consumer market segments and riding
environments. All the products feature breakthrough LeanSteer?
technology and a wireless InfoKey? controller that enhance
the Segway experience by making the ride even more intuitive
and adding new and useful functions.
August 14, 2006
Segway launches a new marketing campaign today to introduce
the second generation Segway PT. The company’s new tagline,
“Simply Moving”, and supporting communications focus on
Segway’s innovative technology and the many practical
ways consumers and commercial customers are incorporating
Segway PTs into their everyday routines. |
| |
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
View Product Brochure (PDF) 
Email this page
