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Hoverboards have come under fire again, but this time, it’s not for safety violations.
The U.S. International Trade Commission has issued a ban on "certain personal transporters" that infringe upon a patent held by Segway, the company that created a two-wheeled electric-powered vehicle. Segways debuted in 2002 to much fanfare, hailed as the future of personal transportation, but failed to catch on with the general public. Segways are used by some law enforcement agencies and tour groups.
The ban targets the import of hoverboards, many of which come from China.
It is not the first time that hoverboards have come under government scrutiny. In February, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission sent a letter warning manufacturers about safety issues with self-balancing scooters, saying that the risk of fire put consumers at risk of serious injury or death.
Hoverboards were a hot holiday gift item, but often for the wrong reasons. The devices were literally hot, and some overheated to the point that they caught fire. Accounts of hoverboard incidents quickly went viral on social media.
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