Hands-Off Parenting: A Self-Driving Stroller Is Now A Real Thing

Technology is a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, we have technology to thank for our longer lifespans as advancements in medicine and science help us live long, healthy lives.

But it's also hurt us in a major way. All of this accessibility — this immediate accessibility — made us incredibly lazy.

Case in point: Volkswagen Netherlands recently debuted a model for a self-driving baby carriage -- a "smart" carriage, if you will.

The carriage boasts an automatic braking system, built-in sensors that follow a parent's movements, an electric motor and the ability to steer by itself.

It's designed to stay a set distance from a given target (typically, the person in front of it), minimizing the risk of accidents.

All in all, it's a pretty great invention: Overworked parents aren't always 100 percent attentive, so added elements to ensure a child's safety are surely welcome.

That said, I can't help but feel an invention such as this  --  a useful invention, sure, but an entirely unnecessary one  --  represents our growing reliance on technological devices. I fear there will soon come a day when we rely on gadgets and robots to do all of our bidding for us.

And that, to me, is a little scary.

Or maybe I've just read way too many science fiction books (totally possible).

Citations: This Self Driving Stroller Is So Insane and We Want It Right Now (POPSUGAR)