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.

"drive themselves"

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

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

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

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

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

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, ...

But not nearly low enough to be allowed as such on a public road.

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

<shrug>

One worker can drive dozens of scooters to chargers over the course of a day. China has lots of people and low labor costs.

A tool with a camera and other sensors you can log into remotely and drive wherever you like in Washington (for example) and then have it loiter while it beams data back to china. Sounds like a plan!

Why hasn't this movie been made already?!?

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

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

Like a flock of birds? I get it!

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?

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.)

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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.

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

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?