
Segway-Ninebot unveils scooters that drive themselves to charging stations - hownottowrite
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-scooters-ninebot/chinas-ninebot-unveils-scooters-that-drive-themselves-to-charging-stations-idUSKCN1V60LJ
======
xanth
Oh man this is a terrible idea if limited to our current tech, even if they're
being controlled from the cloud with shadow-workers the havoc they could cause
is significant and the chance of failure is high.

------
dwighttk
"drive themselves"

"AI-driven scooters, controlled remotely from the cloud"

controlled remotely from the cloud sounds to me like shadow-workers.

~~~
jayd16
Or, you know, they get directions to the charging station from a server.

~~~
dwighttk
Which is more likely, they solved vehicle autonomy or they pay someone to
control their scooters to make it look like they solved it?

~~~
knolax
vehicle autonomy requirements for a scooter are a lot lower than for a car.
For one a scooter can't run somebody over so.

~~~
pergadad
Yes no problem if the scooter drives in front of someone and trips them, or
crosses a street at red, or doesn't recognise a manhole and falls in, ...

------
megaremote
No they do not. They didn't even demo it or provide a video.

------
jayd16
I really want Bird scooters that you can shoo away, and they'll come to life
and clear the sidewalk.

~~~
dillonmckay
Like a flock of birds? I get it!

------
Zhenya
Not to sound paranoid or anything but are we (USA, Western world) really going
to allow motorized robots (with cameras and sensors) by the thousands to be
let loose in the US all beaming data and controlled from China?

~~~
Fnoord
Is there legislation which prohibits AI-driven bots such as a Segway
autonomously on the sidewalk (not talking about the road). What about bicycle
road?

(Asking world-wide, not any specific country.)

------
jameslk
Nothing mentioned about how these won't run into things or cause chaos in
intersections? What happens if someone tries to jump on one while it's driving
itself? I'd really like to know

~~~
notatoad
I'm guessing they drive themselves at something below walking pace, and if
they're interfered with in any way they stop.

------
ph0rque
Heh... here I thought it was the original Segway company that was years ahead
(using over-complicated tech) of the scooter trend!

~~~
skinnymuch
Technically it is, isn’t it? I think Ninebot bought them. But you could say
that makes the original Segway dead then.

~~~
ph0rque
Ah, I wasn't aware of the history. Thanks!

~~~
skinnymuch
Quick skimming of wiki, seems like the founder left the company during its
first sale back in 2009. Then Ninebot bought it in 2015. Seems both sales were
for very low amounts.

Who knows what could’ve been!

------
sitkack
I have long envisioned vended self balancing scooters, they would be summoned
and appear like magic.

------
acd
We are starting to hit boundaries what is good for individual vs public.

It’s good for a scooter to recharge itself. It is not necessarily nice for the
public to walk among scooters going to recharge stations.

Ie philosophy public vs private interest.

~~~
akadruid1
We long ago passed those boundaries.

It's good for an individual to sit in air-conditioned comfort while burning
fossil fuels to move 1.5 tons of vehicle. It is very unpleasant for the public
to walk, run, cycle, scoot or even just stand among dangerous, noxious and
congested vehicles

------
dgzl
I'd like to know how they plan on not running into stuff. Portland has a lot
of things randomly blocking sidewalks. What if the scooter is in the street
and can't get onto a sidewalk?

