350 Segway electronic scooters in UAE recalled to fix software glitch

Dubai: A recall by US-based firm Segway of its electric scooters to fix a software fault affects 350 units in the UAE, the local distributor said.

About 23,500 Segway personal transporters are being recalled worldwide because of the glitch that can make the rider fall.

Users suffered injuries to their heads and wrists in six device malfunction reports that Segway received.

"A condition has been identified in which the Segway PT can unexpectedly reverse the direction of the wheels which can cause a rider to fall. This can occur when the PT's Speed Limiter tilts back the machine to slow it down and the rider goes off and then back onto the PT within a short period of time," Segway said in a statement in the US.

Steven Brown, chief executive officer of Segway's local dealer Westagroup, said his company is ready to carry out software upgrades.

"It is a software upgrade so it would take less than five minutes per machine. We have the kit available," Brown said.

"The benefit of the software upgrade is that every machine will be upgraded to the latest version of the code. And every machine would pass the risk that is up there," he added.