Electric, Self-Driving and CES-Awarded: Meet Ella, the GlüxKind AI Stroller

Welcome to Talking Points, a series that looks at what makes certain products worth talking about, brought to you by Gear Patrol Studios.

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No doubt that most parents would regard the idea of a “self-driving stroller” with a fair amount of skepticism – but what about a stroller that can rock your baby to sleep or help them stay asleep? Or a stroller you can fill with groceries and program to follow you home while you walk hand-in-hand with your toddler? The GlüxKind’s Ella Stroller ($3,800) is an all-new, niche-filling parenting product that’s designed to make every outing a walk in the park.

The robotic child chariot, a CES 2023 Innovation Awards Honoree, is equipped with everything from autonomous ‘driving’ capability (only when no child is inside), a built-in white noise machine and ‘brake assist’ tech, as well as plenty of storage and a modular ‘travel system’ that makes connecting and disconnecting the bassinet a breeze. Car seat integration is “coming soon,” too, though GlüxKind expects to begin shipping the first round of strollers in April this year.

GlüxKind

The Backstory

GlüxKind: A Family-Founded “Baby Technology Startup”

GlüxKind was founded in 2020 by Anne Hunger and Kevin Huang (“parents with sky-high standards”), whose own stroller search mostly turned up options they felt were too heavy or difficult to maneuver. Inspired to fill an empty niche, the couple designed Ella as a better product that provides “meaningful support for new parents.”

GlüxKind – a play on the German word Glückskind, which translates basically to “lucky child” – began in the family’s garage in Vancouver and grew rapidly over the course of two years as the company built an expert-led international team that made waves at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show.

This year’s CES received a record 2,100+ submissions for its Innovation Awards program, making GlüxKind’s recognition significant. The Ella earned plenty of press from major publications, including a spot on Gear Patrol’s Best of CES 2023 roundup. The secret to the Ella’s success is manifold, but it all comes back to safety and comfort for parents and their babies.

The Gist

What Makes This Self-Driving Smart Stroller So Cool?

While the idea of a self-driving stroller may be a little hard to wrap your head around, its intelligent tech is undoubtedly familiar. The Ella utilizes its “Advanced Parent Assist System” (autonomous ‘driving’ and braking tech) largely to provide more control than the competition, with the aim of increasing convenience and preventing runaway stroller nightmares. It will carry your groceries (or coats and bags of cheerios and diapers…), and it can rock your baby to sleep.

The Ella is designed to handle fluctuating terrain swimmingly (e.g., driveways and reasonable park paths, not the Appalachian Trail). On inclines, its powerful dual-motor system does all the heavy lifting, while its Adaptive Braking System will function even on steep downhill slopes.

In Hands-Free mode, the Ella will adapt to the user (stroller-er?), automatically, intelligently matching walking speeds and stops/starts to stay within arm’s reach. At all times, the Ella maintains a “360° Safety Bubble,” employing its sensors to constantly monitor surroundings for potential dangers like bikes, cars or scooters, with its auto-brakes at the ready.

That all saves parents plenty of energy, but the Ella’s automatic Rock-My-Baby mode can soother your baby to sleep, providing parents with an on-demand recharge break. Huang and Hunger know that some babies sleep well in moving strollers but wake up as soon as things come to a halt – the Ella will automatically rock when you come to a stop so that neither your kid’s nap nor your sanity will suffer.

Moreover, the stroller’s built-in white noise machine and weather-proof and extremely adjustable bassinet help your baby fall and stay asleep anywhere. The Ella’s ‘travel system’ comprises “a car seat, infant bassinet, and toddler seat” that features magnetic buckles and a five-point harness.

Our POV

This Smart Stroller Was Designed for Parents by Parents

Many of the Ella’s innovative features could only have been dreamt up by experienced parents. GlüxKind emphasizes the stroller is designed especially for “sleep-deprived” new parents, who may not always have the tools (or energy) they need to stay alert on the go. Indeed, with its suite of sleep-friendly features, the Ella is truly designed to help soothe your baby and make every outing that much easier.

With a fully-refundable $200 deposit, fans can reserve their own Ella stroller through the Glüxkind website. Units are going fast – due to demand, pre-orders are on hold until March 2023) – so if you’re expecting to add the Ella to your growing family, mark your calendars now.

Price: $3,800

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