New Hampshire, June 25: Segway Inc has decided to stop production of its self-balancing two-wheeled personal transporter (PT) vehicle which was a major hit among tourists and some police forces. Launched in 2001, the vehicle promised to transform personal transport. The self-balancing vehicle has been enjoying fanfare since its debut but it struggled to make a profit.

The company said that they will end production of the self-balancing scooter in its New Hampshire facility on July 15. Segway Inc will also lay off 21 employees from the manufacturing plant. Mumbai Police Personnel Get First Batch of Self-Balancing Segway Electric Scooters For Patrolling Around Marine Drive

"Within its first decade, the Segway PT became a staple in security and law enforcement, viewed as an effective and efficient personal vehicle," Segway president Judy Cai said. However, self-balancing scooter accounted for less than 1.5 percent of the company's revenue.

Segway is a self-balancing two-wheeled scooter invented by Dean Kamen. The company has been at the centre of crashes, including former United States President George Bush falling from his Segway in 2003. In 2015, a cameraman on Segway knocked over Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt.

Recently, the Maharashtra government has brought 50 self-balancing Segway electric scooters for Mumbai Police. The vehicle is used for patrolling purpose at Marine Drive, suburban Bandra, Juhu and Versova areas.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 25, 2020 07:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).