The self-driving six-wheeled vehicles are being tested by the UK's Co-op, but are having to ask humans for help to press the button to trigger the green man at junctions.

Five of the robots have also been seen queueing at crossings waiting for someone in a meat suit to press the button.  Some have even reversed back across the road when the pedestrian signal suddenly turns red.

The 36kg robots can detect pedestrians, dogs and cars and are programmed to wait at red lights rather than take any risks.  While they can see with their 4D cameras they cannot press the button to trigger a crossing.

Robot maker Starship Technologies said: “On the rare occasion assistance is required, they can be monitored remotely.”

Shoppers can use the bots by ordering from home on an app, before staff at the store pack up to 10 kg of groceries inside it.