M-O pauses to allow a pathway node to activate.
Pathway nodes are electronic pathways in WALL•E, used to direct bots and human passengers around the ship. If a passenger falls out of his/her chair, or a bot steps out of line, the node flashes and makes a beeping noise.
Two SECUR-T bots, GO-4 and the cleaning crew wait on pathway nodes.
The reject bots do not seem to follow the pathways, and as humans were still meant to walk around the ship, the pathway nodes couldn't control them either.
M-O contemplates whether he should follow WALL-E off the pathway.