New Vehicle categories

While autonomous vehicles takes the limelight, there is more much more to the story of transportation. The somewhat derided Segway was not so much the birth and death of a bad idea but the very tip of the beginning of a new class of mobility.

First I will point out that Segways are very useful for people with disabilities because it raises them from the seated position to the standing position. So first people with disabilities can use Segways safely and effectively.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17964882


Second, an interesting feature of the Segway is that it appears to also give therapeutic benefit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=9W6XB8Nzmec

But beyond the segway there is a whole ecosystem of self-stabilising transport devices out there.
For example INMOTION builds mini-segways that can be used conventionally or for people with a particular disabilities.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocZyjW_hyfE


Then there is the airwheel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0wdWLJPGLY

And the Ryno moncycle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1YoCfm7nxU  

The legal status in many jurisdictions of these alternative - third vehicle class is entirely unclear. Even for people with disabilities using the Segway legally is often problematic.

Legal status of autonomous vehicles - the US case

Came across this, could be an interesting read.

SUE MY CAR NOT ME: PRODUCTS LIABILITY AND ACCIDENTS INVOLVING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLESJeffrey K. Gurney


AbstractAutonomous vehicles will revolutionize society in the near future. Computers, however, are not perfect, and accidents will occur while the vehicle is in autonomous mode. This Article answers the question of who should be liable when an accident is caused in autonomous mode. This Article addresses the liability of autonomous vehicle by examining products liability through the use of four scenarios: the Distracted Driver; the Diminished Capabilities Driver; the Disabled Driver; and the Attentive Driver. Based on those scenarios, this Article suggests that the autonomous technology manufacturer should be liable for accidents caused in autonomous mode because the autonomous vehicle probably caused the accident. Liability should shift back to the “driver” depending on the nature of the driver and the ability of that person to prevent the accident. Thus, this Article argues that an autonomous vehicle manufacturer should be liable for accidents caused in autonomous mode for the Disabled Driver and partially for the Diminished Capabilities Driver and the Distracted Driver. This Article argues the Attentive Driver should be liable for most accidents caused in autonomous vehicles. Currently, products liability does not allocate the financial responsibility of an accident to the party that is responsible for the accident, and this Article suggests that courts and legislatures need to address tort liability for accidents caused in autonomous mode to ensure that the responsible party bears responsibility for accidents.

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2352108