The chassis of a single axle car would be visually similar to that of a travel trailer, yet it will have the electronics and components of a Segway scooter.

The interior of the car will look and work normally as any other small economy car and the inter-workings will be completely transparent to the driver and passenger. The driver and passenger will sit side by side with a little bit of storage space behind the seats.

Mechanically, there will be a series of motorized weights which will slide around the shell of the body and will be electronically programmed to self-correct the balance of the car as it wants to sway forward and backwards.

As an added bonus, the weights will have a setting that give the single axle car a double-axle fee such as when braking, the car will dip forward a little bit.

When the car is not in use, two kickstands at the front and rear of the car will extend out and stabilize the car while it is not in motion. As soon as the driver and passenger get inside and they turn the car on, the weights immediately shift around to balance out whoever might in the cabin. Once the car is stable, the kickstands automatically retract and the car can be driven.
-- Jscotty, Jul 26 2012

Segway's P.U.M.A. (Personal Urban Mobility & Accessibility) http://www.segway.com/puma/
[xaviergisz, Jul 26 2012]

If you use 2 really big wheels, the passenger compartment can be suspended beneath the axle, eliminating the need for Segway-style balancing. And it can be good over rough terrain, if you have enough ground clearance. And if you rev the engine too fast, the passenger compartment will start going in circles around the axle, while the wheels stay still.
-- Vernon, Jul 26 2012


when you're travelling at Segway speeds, the acceleration/deceleration needs are pretty small, 0- 15 mph or so? With car speeds, and car mass, you'll struggle to slow down while maintaining balance.

But the advantages in an urban environment are huge... parking, turning around when lost....
-- bs0u0155, Jul 26 2012


Lost? Who gets lost?

Your weights are needless, if you have a good Segway-iod system, but if you are going to use them, you aren't doing them right. Let me do some sketching and get back to you ....

... I don't like the sliding weights, except as trim weights for off-balance loads. I'd use flywheels for balance assist---spin up or brake them if the Segway stumbles.

What would be nice is a joint under the cockpit. You could bend it for trim, and use it to lower the entire cabin for parking.
-- baconbrain, Jul 26 2012


Made me think of those single-axle dogs, the ones who lost movement of their hind legs and have a little cart strapped on back there.
-- sqeaketh the wheel, Jul 27 2012


But they'll still make you pay for commuter car rates at the tolls.
-- RayfordSteele, Jul 27 2012



random, halfbakery