Standing in line for the latest iPhone at the Apple store, queueing for tickets to Wimbledon or even just waiting at the post office might just have got a lot easier.

Japanese car-maker Nissan claims to have just the thing to relieve the sore legs of weary queuers.

The new system of “self-driving” chairs is designed to detect when someone at the front of the queue is summoned, and automatically move everyone else one step forward in line.

The new invention is shown off in a company video, which reenacts a busy restaurant with patrons waiting outside.

In the video, diners are sitting in a row of chairs, but will not have to stand when the next hungry diner is called to a table.

Instead, the chairs, equipped with autonomous technology that detects the seat ahead, glide along a path toward the front of the line.

When the person at the front of the queue is summoned, the empty chair at the front can sense it is empty and so moves out of pole position.

Cameras on the remaining chairs then sense the movement and follow automatically.

The system, which is similar to the kind used in Nissan’s autonomous vehicle technology, will be tested at select restaurants in Japan this year, Nissan said.

“(It) appeals to anyone who has queued for hours outside a crowded restaurant. It eliminates the tedium and physical strain of standing in line,” it added.

Although Tokyo has some 160,000 restaurants, long queues are not uncommon.

Chosen restaurants that fill the logistic criteria will be able to showcase the chairs at their venue in 2017.

Nissan also released a short clip showing the chairs being used in an art gallery, moving slowly in front of the various paintings to let viewers appreciate the art without the need to stand up.

无论你是要排队抢购新出的苹果手机还是买温网比赛的门票，或是在邮局等候，现在看来，这一切都不会那么折磨人了。

日本的汽车制造商日产公司声称他们的神器将让疲劳的排队者免受双腿酸痛之苦。当排在队伍前面的人被叫到号离开时，这款“自动行驶”座椅的新系统会马上检测到并自动把每个人的座椅向前移动一个位置。

公司发布的一段视频展示了这一新发明，这段视频再现了一家生意繁忙的餐厅外顾客们等候的场景。

在视频中，等候就餐的顾客们坐在一排椅子上。即使下一个饥肠辘辘的顾客被叫到号，他们也无需站起来向前挪位子。

这种配备了自控技术的椅子可以检测到前方的椅子，并按轨道往前挪动一位。

一旦排在队伍前面的人被叫到号离开座位，他的椅子感知到无人就坐后会自行离开队伍。其它椅子上的摄像头会感知到运动并自主跟踪。

日产公司表示，这一新系统和用在日产汽车上的自主驾驶系统类似，今年公司将会在日本选择一些餐馆进行测试。

它还补充道：“对于要在人气火爆的餐馆外等待好几个小时的消费者来说，这项发明充满了吸引力：人们可以和久站排队的乏味和身体酸痛说再见了。”

尽管东京拥有超过16万家的餐厅，但餐厅外面排长队的情景依然随处可见。

2017年，达到后勤标准的被选中的餐厅将用上“自动排队椅”。日产公司还发布了一个短片，展示这种椅子用于画廊中的场景。短片中椅子在一幅又一幅画作前缓慢移动，参观者无需站起来就可以欣赏艺术。(Chinadaily.com.cn)

    Words to Learn 相关词汇

   【再现】zàixiàn reenact repeat the actions that occurred in the scene or incident

    【沉闷】chénmèn tedium the state of being bored or the quality of being boring, monotony