Robot kills employee at Volkswagen factory in Germany
Technician crushed to death while installing the machine, but company insists human error was to blame

A technician has been killed by robot at Volkswagen factory in Germany, the car company has confirmed.
The external contractor died after the robot he was installing grabbed and crushed him against a metal plate.
The 22-year was resuscitated at the factory but died later in hospital, reports Deutche Welle. Another contractor was nearby, but was unharmed.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The accident occurred at a manufacturing plant in Baunatal, about 100km (62 miles) north of Frankfurt.
"Our thoughts are with his family," a VW spokesperson told The Independent. "We are of course carrying out a thorough investigation into the incident and cannot comment further at this time."
The robots are programmed to carry out various tasks in the assembly process and they typically have no contact with humans as they are kept behind metal cages. In this case, the employee was inside the cage when the accident occurred.
The company insists the robot did not suffer a technical defect and said the accident was down to human error. But German prosecutors are deciding whether to bring charges and if so, to whom, according to local news agencies.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical