Hate standing in line? Japan now has self-driving chairs

Because it's too difficult to stand, take two steps, and sit down again

I know that researchers are only incorporating technology they have invented for another purpose ie. autonomous vehicles, but are there not more pressing problems in the world that they could be trying to solve. As sensei258 said, is it that difficult to get up and move one seat over every once in a while? My only hope is that instead of restaurants, where it wouldn't hurt people to stand up and walk, perhaps it could be used at hospitals are places where people who do have trouble standing and moving congregate.

I believe they have solved a problem that didn't exist.

The world is getting closer and closer to becoming like the people in the movie Wall-E.

Very slick and completely unnecessary.

They should just have you sitting on a padded conveyor belt.

Isn't too much sitting bad for your health?

What if you want to stand up to go to the bathroom, make a call, stretch your legs because ahem you've been sitting too long, etc.? You lose your spot because your seat takes off for the back of the line? Agree with borscht, this is a solution to a problem we didn't have.

(It) appeals to anyone who has queued for hours outside a crowded restaurant

Hours? We either have a reservation or go somewhere else. About five minutes is the most I will wait.

just stand up and move over. How lazy can you be? Solution looking for a problem

No, don't bring that stuff in here. Lots of supermarkets in US (mainly Walmart) have those scooters for the "disabled" and look at how fat the population over there is.

Japan...don't be like the US with their electrical scooters. C'mon Japan.

The ProPILOT lb400 Obesity range.

The electrical scooters mentioned in a comment above are in wheelchair class. You may think, well, why not then wheelchairs? Thst's because people actually are that sick. That weak that they cannot push a wheelchair all over their neighborhood. (especially my town, San Francisco) This year I got a massive attack of sciatica. After getting off the bus to go to a hospital, I couldn't walk the halls. First time in the chair. And not again yet. Good to know it's there if I need it.

@Dre Hund

One thing to be in need and quite another to encourage

What if you want to stand up to go to the bathroom, make a call, stretch your legs because ahem you've been sitting too long, etc.? You lose your spot because your seat takes off for the back of the line?

You're going to lose your spot in line if you do any of those things and get out of line whether you're in this chair or not. As far as "Standing because you've been sitting too long", do you think the chairs are going to run you over because you're not in a chair? The chair you stood up from is probably going to be trapped between the chairs on either side, a wall, and you. It's got nowhere to go even if it WANTED to go back to the end of the line.

They could have used their smarts and technology to increase accessibility for those who truly need assistance, some elderly or disabled people, for example.

How lazy can people get?

This technology could benefit older people (Japan is the aging society), disabled people, pregnant women and others who have difficulty walking.

Even if I were old i wouldn't want to be seen using it