I believe the first generation of this scooter will be for mostly mailmen and enthusiasts with some money to burn. Maybe even a few people will zip through Pentagon hallways with them and in other very large office buildings and factories with them. But have no doubt about it, this product will continuously improve to the point that you can pack your groceries in them and have a roof over your head for when it rains and even have a GPS navigation system in them where you can punch in a destination and read the paper during your morning commute. Then everybody will want one.
I don't think they will replace cars for most people but they will undoubtably complement the car. For example, if you live in the suburbs and work in the city, you can drive your car to a parking garage just outside the city and then take your "scooter" out of the trunk for the rest of the day. No dealing with gridlock and trying to find a parking space in the middle of the city. Just zip in and zip out, running some errands along the way.
The only downside I see with them is that they will make us even more fat and lazy then we already are!
Inventors: we need something that flies!
Rear view mirrors, sound system (well, that ought to improve the quality of downtown life. NOT!), a fan for hot weather.....leather interior..... LOL
By that point they would practically be cars, and almost as expensive.