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by as 6603 days ago
I second that fear. Remember the Segway bug that caused the motors to spontaneously reverse? Imagine that on the highway at 60mph.
2 comments

There's no fear of catastrophic failure at 60mph on the highway, if its motors are only capable of a top speed of 40mph. It's not a highway vehicle.

Aerospace has used fly-by-wire computer-controlled unstable vehicles for years. I trust a well-designed computer more than I do an average motorist.

40mph can still kill.
The problem is the belief that is hardwired into the humans basic instincts about balance. We see the bike and we see balance problems and danger (not that this doesn't have that) but they probably thought of that and are working on it.
That's not really why I'm scared. ICs are affected by lots of things. What if there is a power surge? What if there is a burst of static energy?

Computers fry, even those in Nasa Spaceships. So the one in that device could also fry, and cause me a tumble on the highway. Which would be, to say the least, uncomfortable.