The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned Onewheel riders in November 2022 to stop using all Onewheel models because of the risk of serious injury or death if the board suddenly stopped balancing the rider. The warning followed reports of four deaths between 2019 and 2021 and multiple serious injuries.
The situation changed in September 2023 when Future Motion announced a voluntary recall of approximately 300,000 Onewheels in cooperation with the CPSC. The Onewheel GT, Pint X, Pint and XR received a firmware update adding Haptic Buzz, while the Original Onewheel and Onewheel+ are not eligible for the update and should not be used.
This article explains what caused the CPSC warning, what Future Motion said in response, and what the 2023 recall means for Onewheel owners today.
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FallmanTech has before reported about both deaths and lawsuits as a result of people getting ejected while riding their board.
CPSC evaluated the Onewheel products and found that they can cause the rider to be ejected from the product, which can result in serious injury or death to the rider. There have been at least four reported deaths between 2019 and 2021 and multiple reports of serious injuries after the product failed to balance the rider or suddenly stopped while in motion. The reported deaths resulted from head trauma. Reported injuries include traumatic brain injury, concussion, paralysis, upper-body fractures, lower-body fractures, and ligament damage.
The Onewheel products are self-balancing electric skateboards with a single wheel in the middle of the board and front and rear footpads where the rider stands astride the wheel. The only thing that is balancing the board and the rider is the motor in the middle that’s located in the wheel. If the board is operated outside its limits it will not be able to keep the rider balanced and the board will crash to the ground, resulting in a nosedive.
Future Motion has refused to agree to an acceptable recall of the product. CPSC states that it intends to continue pursuing a recall for consumers.
CPSC urges consumers not to buy the Onewheel. If you already own one or purchased one, do not use it due to the ejection hazard. Report incidents with the Onewheel and any dangerous product or a product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov. Do NOT resell or donate the board so others are put in danger by the hazard.
As a response to the press release, Future Motion states that all Onewheel electric skateboards are safe when operated following basic safe riding principles common to any board sport. The firm sees no reason for riders to stop using their boards or for new riders to not purchase one. The firm states that it always encourages riders to carefully educate themselves on how to use the board safely, ride within their abilities, and wear a helmet and other safety gear.
“CPSC asked Future Motion to stop selling the Onewheel and to advise its customers not to use this product. The company refused. Future Motion is unwilling to take appropriate action to fix a product hazard that has killed people.
CPSC Release Number: 23-046
CPSC had to take action and issue this warning to not buy or use this product.”
In all of their latest press releases and PR materials, everyone is wearing a helmet. FallmanTech is always recommending everyone at least wear a helmet and wrist guards to protect themselves. Using a Onewheel should be seen as an extreme sport.
Future Motion states that Onewheel users know that there are inherent risks in riding an electric skateboard, just as there are in any other board sport, or with riding an e-bike, electric scooter, ATV, or motorcycle. Safety is at the core of its business and it has made continual improvements in product safety over the six generations of products it has in the market. The new Onewheel GT is a response to some of the concerns and reasons for one of the first lawsuits. Adding simplestop, safety beep, and improved power to the Onewheel GT.
We share the statement of Future Motion Inc that the overwhelming majority of Onewheel riders use the board the way it is supposed to be used, stay within their abilities, respect the board’s operational limits, and follow local laws. The key is not to push the board to the limits, Onewheels are not your everyday toy and should be treated with respect.
Release Number: 23-046
Onewheel Community Delivered Over 4,000 Letters to CPSC Defending the Right to “Let Us Ride!”
Future Motion asked the Onewheel rider community to help them and we did. In a response to the CPSC, the community has written more than 4,000 letters, and they were delivered to the agency headquarters. The letters share the support for Onewheels, Future Motion, and concerns around the public warning that urged board owners to stop riding their Onewheels and people not to purchase any version of the product.
“The ongoing and overwhelming public rejection of the CPSC’s unwarranted attack on Onewheels press may have been surprising to the agency, but this reaction was not a surprise to our company or to the Onewheel community,”
Kyle Doerksen, Founder, and CEO of Future Motion.
“These letters from Onewheel riders are very emotional as they extoll the joy, exhilaration, and freedom they experience from their boards. Future Motion takes great pride in our products. The fact is: Onewheels are safe when operated following common-sense safe riding practices that are common to any board sport. Onewheel boards are not defective. There is an inherent risk in any action sport, and that is something our riders knowingly accept and seek out.”
“Via letters and posts across social media, thousands of riders are saying how their boards have helped them overcome depression, live healthier lifestyles, enjoy more time outdoors, and forge new friendships and family connections. We thought it was critically important for the CPSC to hear directly from just a small portion of the hundreds of thousands of dedicated Onewheel customers who operate Onewheels safely every day,” added Doerksen.
Javier Starks, a Washington, D.C. resident who delivered the 4,000+ letters to the CPSC headquarters on his Onewheel, said, “As an avid Onewheel rider, I can tell you firsthand that these boards are safe when used appropriately. I have personally ridden over 38,000 miles on my Onewheels. The decision made by the CPSC reflects the experiences of a select few. If this logic was used when assessing the safety of other vehicles, such as trains, planes, and automobiles, they all would likely be classified as ‘dangerous.’ I believe that learning the personal experience of THOUSANDS will outweigh the experiences of a few. We believe the CPSC is run by people who have good intentions. These compelling stories in the form of heartfelt letters will hopefully change how the agency views Onewheel boards and the immense community of citizens like myself who rely on them for day-to-day transport and survival.”
Despite the agency’s unjustified and alarmist statements regarding Onewheels, Future Motion will continue attempting to collaborate with CPSC staff on common sense safety measures that even further enhance rider safety and allow the Onewheel movement to thrive.
What happened after the CPSC warning?
The CPSC warning was issued in November 2022. At the time, the agency urged owners to stop using all Onewheel models and said Future Motion had refused to agree to an acceptable recall.
That was not the end of the story.
In September 2023, Future Motion and the CPSC announced a voluntary recall covering approximately 300,000 Onewheel electric skateboards. The recall was intended to address the risk that the board could stop balancing the rider if the board’s limits were exceeded.
For the Onewheel GT, Pint X, Pint and XR, the remedy was a firmware update that added Haptic Buzz. The feature provides an audible and tactile warning when the board is approaching situations where its ability to balance may be exceeded, as well as in certain low-battery and error conditions.
The Original Onewheel and Onewheel+ are different. These boards cannot receive the Haptic Buzz update and Future Motion’s current recall notice says that these models should not be used.
This means that the 2022 CPSC warning should not be viewed separately from the 2023 recall. The warning led to a dispute between the CPSC and Future Motion, which was later followed by a voluntary recall and firmware-based remedy.
Which Onewheels were affected?
| Onewheel model | Recall action |
|---|---|
| Original Onewheel | Do not use. Not eligible for Haptic Buzz update |
| Onewheel+ | Do not use. Not eligible for Haptic Buzz update |
| Onewheel+ XR | Firmware update with Haptic Buzz |
| Onewheel Pint | Firmware update with Haptic Buzz |
| Onewheel Pint X | Firmware update with Haptic Buzz |
| Onewheel GT | Firmware update with Haptic Buzz |
The recall applies to all of these models. The remedy depends on the model. The Original Onewheel and Onewheel+ cannot receive the firmware update and are listed by Future Motion as not eligible for it.
What is Haptic Buzz?
Haptic Buzz is a safety alert added to the Onewheel GT, Pint X, Pint and XR through the 2023 recall firmware update.
The system uses the motor to create a vibration and sound that the rider can feel and hear. It works together with the existing pushback system and is intended to warn the rider when the board is approaching situations where its ability to balance may be exceeded.
Haptic Buzz can occur during high-speed riding, high-torque situations such as steep climbs or hard acceleration, and certain low-battery or error conditions.
It should not be treated as a system that makes the Onewheel impossible to crash. The rider still needs to understand pushback, respect the board’s limits and react to the warning.
If the board is telling you to slow down, the correct response is to slow down rather than trying to push through the warning.
About the U.S. CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of injuries associated with consumer products over the past 50 years.
Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission-ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.
