(NationRise.com) – Science fiction has become a reality after a factory robot attacked and injured one of Tesla’s engineers.
Reports were recently released that detail the 2021 incident. The engineer was writing code for two other robots that were temporarily disabled. The offending robot, which was designed to move car parts, approached the engineer, pinned him against the wall, and scratched its claws down his back.
The engineer was rescued by a coworker who pushed the robot’s “emergency stop” button. He was then able to get away from the machine, but he fell down a chute meant for scrap metal in the process. Witnesses reported a trail of blood left behind.
Concerns have since been raised about a lack of reporting on other injuries that may have occurred at the company’s Giga Texas factory, located in an unincorporated area near Austin. The incident involving the engineer was reported to officials, but it did not gain public attention until recently.
Tesla owner Elon Musk has repeatedly warned about the dangers of advanced robots and AI even as his companies continue advancing the technologies. He believes it poses a threat to civilization and has supported regulations against the development of AI. However, other experts have warned that regulating AI here gives hostile nations a potential technological advantage if they continue to develop AI without regulations.
Tesla builds and utilizes a line of humanoid robots called Optimus Gen. The robots have been showcased, completing a variety of tasks, from building cars to cooking meals. The robots continue to get more efficient, stronger, and capable and are able to beat humans at many routine tasks. They have given Tesla a considerable advantage in the marketplace.
These robots are also increasingly capable of working together remotely through Tesla’s Neuralink and Autopilot platforms. However, little is known about how humans can best work with their robot counterparts. The incident in Texas is reportedly the first time the company’s robots have injured a human worker.
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