In episode 4 of series 2, "Stasis Leak", Lister & the Cat are at one point in a hotel lobby, an autonomous suitcase comes up to cat and asks if he's seen a man about 5"10' with mousey hair cause he's lost him.

The person voicing the suitcase is coincedentally called Tony Hawks.

It's a cute idea, but in a crowded airport or Tube platform, there is no way something like that is going to be able to follow its owner through the crowd without being kicked over. Its size is such that I don't see why you wouldn't just carry it.

If you made it much, much bigger, it might be worthwhile. If it was big enough you could carry luggage around the airport without using trolleys, and it wouldn't get knocked over.

But people are just not going to let small bags alone to their own devices, no more than they would small children. Small children are capable of following you as well, and they can go up stairs, but you still hold their hand and don't let go until you get out of the Tube.

Artoo, where's my underwear....?

BLOOBLEEP

you did WHAT with it ?

WEEEP

No you may NOT use your charger to do that to the Samsonite

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I'm sorry I couldn't help myself. I'll be quiet now, coat is on.

In British airports this would be viewed as unattented luggage and blown up!

Pick pockets would love it, steal someones wallet and their luggage comes for free with them

Try a robo-moto-golf bag trolley. Loads of gadget happy punters with deep pockets and shallow self-esteem.

Did anyone know GOLF is FLOG spelt backwards

Coat

>slam<

I have to wonder if this has really been thought through, does anyone really believe that the rabid paranoid crazies that would ban you from talking liquid on planes are going to allow this suitcase full of wires, sensors and batteries on board?

"Pick pockets would love it, steal someones wallet and their luggage comes for free with them"

Yes, but it makes it so much easier to spot the pickpocket!

Steal my wallet, and the Luggage will follow you to the ends of the Earth!

If it accidentally switched itself on during the flight would it smash its way from the cargo hold to the cabin to be reunited with its owner?

They should put a seat on it or have some kind of foot platform like a segway so it could move the person around as well.

It always annoys me when I'm running for a flight when people come past me at high speed in those carts when I still have 10 minutes of walking to do with only 5 minutes to go.

"What's the point of something that can carry 30kg of gear when the airlines charge you an arm and a leg for anything over 20kg (or in some cases 15kg)?"

I imagine that if you've got the funds to buy an automated rolly bag to keep from having to drag it yourself, you can take the fee. Then again it might be cheaper just to hire someone at each end of your flight to carry / drag your baggage to your limo.

So I guess what I'm saying is that if it can't catch sharks, then theres no point in buying it.

There was a briefcase that trundled into a lobby, and made for the fired teacher in Fahrenheit 451...

30Kg payload, 10Kg of batteries; what does the thing itself weigh? I have a vision of it fighting its way out after check in.

Mind you, autonomous bags could allow for suicide bombings without the suicide, so someone will have a use for it.

Wouldn't have any human rights - 240 volts up it's jacksie and it'd take you to it's master. Mind, our Lewis might have to do unspeakable things to it first..

Mount a seat on it and have a long stick with the 'card' on, never walk again.