It’s an activity that keeps most children entertained during the weekly shop, but zooming down the aisles on the supermarket trolley could soon be a thing of the past.
Ford has invented a self-braking shopping trolley that stops automatically when it detects a possible collision could happen.
The trolley is fitted with sensors to spot objects and people ahead - similar to the technology Ford uses in many of its car models to detect vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists on the road.
"Parents often dread supermarket shopping because they are trying to get a job done and kids just want to play," said parenting expert Tanith Carey, author of What's My Child Thinking? Practical Child Psychology For Modern Parents.
Smart beds ensure good night's sleep by keeping partner on their side
"Children love to copy adults and experiment with feeling more in control.
"When they push a trolley, to their minds, it's like they are behind the wheels of a car - with long, wide supermarket aisles as their racetrack."
Sadly for parents, the car-maker has no plans to make the self-braking trolley experiment available to the public.
Ford's robotic BUM simulates what happens when you get in the car with a sweaty bottom
"Pre-Collision Assist technology can help our customers avoid accidents or mitigate the effects of being involved in a collision," said Anthony Ireson, director for marketing communications at Ford of Europe.
"We thought that showing how similar thinking could be applied to a shopping trolley would be a great way to highlight what can be a really useful technology for drivers.”
