Two major Japanese airports have asked travelers not to ride motorized suitcases within their facilities, according to Kyodo news agency, while police are urging domestic retailers to warn customers of the strict laws concerning their use, Britain’s The Guardian reported.
In recent years motorized luggage, similar to children’s scooters but powered by lithium-ion batteries, have become more common among travelers, it said.
According to Kyodo, Japan currently classifies the electric suitcases as “motorized vehicles that can be ridden on roads only with the required safety equipment and a driving license.”
According to Takeru Shibayama, a senior scientist at the Vienna University of Technology’s Institute for Transportation, Japan’s broad range of vehicles – which fall under the category of motorized bicycles – may force the country to discuss “whether a new classification should be established” to deal with electric suitcases.
