Meet the robot built to deliver your shopping - CNET

This means that if the robot encounters an obstacle while driving, it will beam a request to a human controller, who will examine the situation and quickly let it know whether to plough onwards, or plot a different route.

Starship Technologies' robots are designed to be owned by supermarkets and local businesses rather than consumers. These businesses will then send out their rolling stock of robots to make deliveries to customers' homes.

As for security, the company is hoping that the robot's barrage of cameras, GPS and two-way audio would deter all but the craziest from trying to steal it. We were told that the robot hasn't been named yet, so readers, if you have any smart ideas, pop 'em in the Idea.