Gadgets

US safety officials warn against using Onewheel boards

The boards have been linked to several deaths in recent years.

by
Alex Gatewood
November 17, 2022

Image: Onewheel

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has warned consumers of the dangers of Onewheel boards.

The CPSC has gone as far as to state that people shouldn’t buy or use the electric balancing skateboards.

In a recently published warning, the CPSC shared its thoughts on the Onewheel. Onewheel is a product created by Future Motion that uses balance and weight transfer to move.

It’s similar to a Segway, except you ride sideways like a skateboard or snowboard. The CPSC says that at least four deaths were reported due to Onewheel malfunctions between 2019 and 2021.

The commission claims that Onewheel products were stopping suddenly or failing to balance the rider when in motion, causing accidents that result in serious injury or death.

Future Motion calls the claims “unjustified and alarmist.” The company responded to the CPSC claims in a press release earlier this week.

“Future Motion has evaluated a number of boards that the rider claims suddenly stopped, and in no case have we found any underlying technical issue with the board,” the company said.

The CPSC requested that Future Motion recall its Onewheel boards, which the company refused to do. The commission says that it will continue to pursue recalls for the boards.

person riding onewheel — Image: Onewheel

Until then, the commission urged users not to buy or use Onewheel devices.

This is an interesting stance, considering the commission’s actions during a rise in injuries while snowboarding became more popular in the 90s.

In its press release, Future Motion cited a quote from the CPSC during the rise in snowboarding popularity.

“We all know that falling or ‘wiping out’ is inevitable. Snowboarders should take lessons to help them enjoy the sport and reduce the risk of injury,” reads the quote.

That certainly seems like a different stance than the one the commission is taking with Onewheel boards.

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