I was intrigued by the title of this article, and after reading it I still find it humorous. The robot was designed so that it can recognize where objects are and move around them, and it apparently did this when a gate was left open and the robot moved out onto the street. The robot is being designed for potential use as a tour guide or concierge with a screen that can display text and the ability to recognize spoken words. Some people think that the "escape" was actually a PR stunt, and the way the company has reacted does not seem to put this idea to rest.
Either way, it is amusing to think of a robot that "wanders" out into traffic and blocks a lane on a street for almost an hour (it was about 40 minutes) before being found by the company that made it. After two escapes in less than a month one of the co-founders was quoted as saying that they may have to "dismantle" the robot so that this doesn't continue.
As funny as this may be, I think it also shows how the idea of self-driving cars and similar inventions actually have the potential to move through an area without coming into contact with something else. However, I am not sure what sort of speeds this robot is capable of, and I think we still have a long way until the public feels safe with cars driving but no one in the driver's seat. However, I do find it interesting at how quickly technology is moving and I sometimes wonder what it will be like in 10 years, or 20 years. To think that my first flip-phone was in high school, and now children in elementary schools have smartphones...I am not sure if this is a good thing or not. Hopefully all of the stories and movies about robots taking over the world do not come true!
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