Walmart is on its way to change the way people shop. The company has received a patent for a self-driving shopping cart. The motorized cart is expected to be equipped with cameras and sensors.

The patent describes a system where customers would be able to request for a cart using their smartphone or any other connected device. Upon receiving a request, the motorized transport unit will dock itself to a cart and reach the customer. The unit is designed to slide under the cart

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According to Daily Dot, the cart would act as a guide; shoppers can tell the cart what they are looking for, and the cart will lead them to the appropriate aisle. Shoppers can also instruct the device to go back, whereby it carefully steers itself back to its original location. The motorized cart is aware of obstacles, ensuring that it does not trip or run into someone.

Digital Trends reported that the unit would be controlled with a facility circuit system. The introduction of these carts may eliminate the necessity of having cart retrievers.

Automation is fast becoming an important part of all industries. Walmart recently announced that it is laying off 7,000 employees, whose jobs had become redundant on account of automation. Experts say robots are likely to take up nearly five million human jobs by 2020.