 |
| Recall of All Onewheel Electric Skateboards Following Reported Fatalities |
Future Motion, the manufacturer of Onewheel electric skateboards, has initiated a comprehensive recall of all its e-skateboard models following concerns related to safety. This recall, which encompasses 300,000 boards, comes after a series of incidents, including four fatalities, that have been associated with their products. The decision to recall was made in collaboration with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), after initially resisting their calls for a recall a few months ago.
The CPSC outlined the reasons for the recall in a notice released on Friday, stating, "Future Motion has received numerous reports of incidents involving the electric skateboards, including four reported deaths that occurred between 2019 and 2021. These incidents also resulted in injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, concussions, paralysis, upper-body fractures, lower-body fractures, and ligament damage."
The reported deaths were attributed to head trauma, with at least three of the victims not wearing helmets during the accidents. Onewheel skateboards are characterized by a single, wide-tire wheel that employs self-balancing technology to propel the rider forward.
The primary issue identified is that the skateboards can cease to balance the rider if the boards' operational limits are exceeded, thereby posing a significant risk of crashes leading to severe injuries or even death. In response to these safety concerns, Future Motion has announced a new safety feature designed to address this issue.
They are introducing a "haptic buzz" alert function that riders can both hear and feel, serving as a warning when there is a potential danger of crashing. This safety update will be available for the Onewheel GT model within one week, while the Pint X, Pint, and XR models will receive the update within six weeks. It's important to note that the original Onewheel and the Onewheel+ models will not be eligible for this update.
This recall follows a warning from CPSC in November 2022, in which consumers were strongly advised to discontinue the use of all Onewheel models due to the risks associated with death and serious injury. Despite the four reported fatalities, at that time, Future Motion had resisted calls for a recall, challenging the CPSC's assertions as "unjustified and alarmist." They maintained that there was no reason for riders to stop using their boards.
In light of the ongoing safety concerns and the reported incidents, Future Motion has now taken the proactive step of initiating a voluntary recall in partnership with the CPSC to address the safety issues associated with their electric skateboards.
إرسال تعليق