Robot Grabbed and Crushed a Man at Volkswagen Plant

A technician at the Germany based Volkswagen production plant was killed by a robot.

The Associated Press reported that on Monday, a 22-year-old worker at Volkswagen production plant in Germany was helping to assemble the stationary robot that captures and configures automobile parts. Suddenly the robot grabbed the technician and pushed him against the metal plate. The man later succumbed to the injuries and died. The name of the technician hasn’t been revealed by Volkswagen.

Experts Warn Killer drones and robots will Leave Humanity ‘Utterly Defenceless’

The company’s spokesperson told AP that such robots are only programmed for specific tasks and supposedly the unfortunate malfunction was caused by human error.

Although some lightweight robots are currently being used by the company next to humans but this wasn’t one of those robots, a spokesperson says. The robot that crushed the worker is usually kept in a cage and the man was grabbed while working on the machine inside the cage.

Prosecutors are yet to decide whether they should bring charges and if so then whom to charge and pursue.

The computer scientist from the University of California at Berkley Prof. Russell had already warned that robots will Leave Humanity Utterly Defenceless and after the incident at Volkswagen Plant, it seems he was right.

AP