Are hoverboards really a safety issue?

By Park Sae-jin Posted : January 8, 2016, 15:47 Updated : January 8, 2016, 15:47

To avoid buying faulty hoverboards which could cause safety problems, buyers must consider buying from authenticated sellers from proper shops [Courtesy of Swagway]



Among the items which were at the center of focus last year, hoverboards definitely took the love of the people, regardless of gender and age. But the self-balancing-plate-on-wheels took the blame for being a ride which ended up in fiery explosions, due to its unstable ion-lithium battery blowing up, setting houses on fire and so on.

Towards the end of the year, nearly 60 airline companies declared that the hoverboards of any kind will be banned in the passenger compartment and will also be denied to be shipped as baggage in the storing compartment of the airplane.

Tens of Universities, colleges and high schools also banned the demonic pate-on-wheels for safety. Georgetown University is the latest university to ban the hoverboards. The university’s COO explained why.

“Based on these reported safety risks and as a precaution, do NOT bring hoverboards or self-balancing scooters to campus. Until the Consumer Product Safety Commission makes a determination on the safety of these devices, we are prohibiting their use or storage on our campus. We continue to encourage the proper use of other transportation means for daily life, including bicycles.”

So, are the hoverboards really dangerous? U.S. Consumer Protection Safety Commission discovered 12 cases which the boards ended up in flames and an Expert from the industry says that the reaction from schools and airlines are partially right but partially over-reacting.

Kim Ji-hoon, an engineer who designs, and builds custom electric vehicles (EV) points out that the most of the problem with hoverboards blowing up is caused by its faulty batteries.

“According to the results, most of the cases involved hoverboards made from distant parts of Asia, its parts’ origins not known,” He said. “Proper hoverboards with right certifications and authenticated from a verified manufacturer is very unlikely to experience in malfunction of the devices.”

Mr. Kim pointed out that some manufacturers use cheap parts for hoverboards to decrease the manufacturing cost, because having the boards manufactured with the right parts obviously increases the final cost of the product, losing its cost effectiveness against its competitors.


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