Peloton has released a software update for its treadmills to address safety issues following a recall in the wake of several injuries and one death.
The interactive treadmill maker recalled 125,000 of its Tread and Tread+ products in early May. There have been over 70 reported incidents where adults, children and pets were sucked and pinned beneath the device’s rotating belt, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, suffering second- and third-degree abrasions, broken bones, and lacerations, and the death of a six-year-old child.
The new automatic software update adds a new “Tread Lock” feature that stops and locks the belt after 45 seconds of non-use outside of a class. Users will be required to enter a 4-digit code to unlock the belt and start it again.
According to the manufacturer’s website, the machine will initiate the belt stop if the user hasn’t touched the screen for 45 seconds, speed is zero, the incline hasn’t been adjusted for 45 seconds, and the user is not in a class. If a user is in a class, the belt will also stop if the treadmill doesn’t detect a person running.
The recall came after a rare instance of a manufacturer publicly disagreeing with the recall recommendation of the CPSC after its product was involved in a fatality.
The user manual had recommended that parents with children under 16 and pets keep them away from the device. The company initially said the product was safe as long as users followed the manual.
But the CPSC said it believed there was at least one incident where a child was injured while a parent was running on the device.
Later Peloton reversed course and apologized, saying its initial response was mistaken.
Peloton will give full refunds to customers who contact the company before November 2022, and partial refunds to those who contact them after that date. It will also cover the cost of moving the machine to a locked room for customers.