I just love this. This is a serious version of ‘the future’. Well, part of the future, the bit long after Brexit (should the world still be functioning that far into eternity), but not too far. Hopefully the bit just after Arsenal get relegated.

We already accept autonomous vehicles, even though they kill a few people in tests. We accept that ‘driverless’ is the way forward because as much as anything else, it avoids parking issues in an increasingly space-conscious world. That’ll be my world. The Lundun world, as opposed to the New Zealand world where priorities are different.

Uber are geared up for ‘driverless’, the only question is where all those Mohammeds will work after it happens? Surely there aren’t enough mountains? And all the car companies and online platforms are desperate to hook up and tap into this almost infinite market that will arise.

But this is special. This is just that little bit ‘outside the box’. I saw it the other week but due to pressures of the world (Brexit, Spurs, holidays, Spurs, Lila, Spurs and stroke-prevention medicine) was awaiting the chance to comment.

It’s a driverless taxi, obvs., but its different. Can’t remember who makes it but basically its a ‘Transformer’. A real one. It starts life on the ground, all looking surprisingly like a… like a taxi. But when it is called by someone with difficulties, like a wheelchair, the wheels extend on legs and, as shown, can back up over stairs or any obstacle. It also has a door on all 4 sides (no driver, no steering wheel, so no constraints). Furthermore, the legs can actually ‘walk’ as well as wheel. So if there’s a snow drift, or a fallen tree, or a dead body from the previous driverless taxi, this ‘thing’ can just step over it, using the wheels as ‘feet’. It can’t kick a football. Not yet anyway.

But how brilliant is that? Someone not just looking to make something ‘equivalent’ to what’s already there, but instead using proper top-down thinking to see what is needed and working from there. And even making it happen. Applause, applause.

Happy Saturday. Arsenal vs Chelsea; OMG that’s big. Battle of the bastards.

A xxxx