• Newsday, Detroit Free Press, Tuesday, April 7, 2009 11:15 AM

For the past month, there has been a Smart car tooling around my neighborhood. I can't quite account for the grin that appears on my face every time I see it. Tell me if this picture of a two-passenger concept vehicle from General Motors and Segway doesn't evoke a similar response in you.

The Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility (PUMA) vehicle balances itself fore and aft and can travel at up to 35 mph for up to 35 miles between recharges, Tom Incantalupo reports. "It's a step up from a bicycle or electric bike, and a step down from a car," says Chris Birroni-Bird, GM's director of advanced vehicle concepts. "We think it's a sweet spot."

When, or if, the companies might sell the PUMA is still up in the air, as is the price. Birroni-Bird says the partners are working on making the vehicle larger and eventually giving it the ability to guide itself in special lanes and to even park itself.

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