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GM and Segway unveil new two-wheeled urban vehicle
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-04-08 09:19
Ideally, the vehicles would also be part of a communications network that through the use of transponder and GPS technology would allow them to drive themselves. The vehicles would automatically avoid obstacles such as pedestrians and other cars and therefore never crash, Burns said. As a result, the PUMA vehicles would not need air bags or other traditional safety devices and include safety belts for "comfort purposes" only, he said. Though the technology and its goals may seem like something out of science fiction, Burns said nothing new needs to be invented for it to become a reality. "At this point, it's merely a business decision," he said. Burns said that while putting that kind of communications infrastructure in place may still be a ways off for many American cities, the automaker is looking for a place, such as a college campus, where the vehicles could be put to use and grab a foothold in the market. There's currently no timeline for production, Burns said. The ambitious announcement also comes at a time when GM's future is hanging by a thread after receiving billions of dollars in federal aid and is in the midst of a vast restructuring that could still lead to a filing for bankruptcy protection. Meanwhile, the ongoing recession has resulted in some of the lowest industrywide vehicle sales in more than a quarter century. But Burns argued that some of the most revolutionary ideas have been born out of tough economic times. "The next two months, and really 2009, is all about the reinvention of General Motors," he said. |
