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Incident 24: Robot kills worker at German Volkswagen plant

Description: A Volkswagen plant robot "crushed to death" a worker by pinning him to a metal plate.

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Entities

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Alleged: Volkswagen developed and deployed an AI system, which harmed Robotics Consultant.

Incident Stats

Incident ID
24
Report Count
27
Incident Date
2014-07-15
Editors
Sean McGregor
Applied Taxonomies
CSETv0, CSETv1, GMF, MIT

CSETv1 Taxonomy Classifications

Taxonomy Details

Incident Number

The number of the incident in the AI Incident Database.
 

24

AI Tangible Harm Level Notes

Notes about the AI tangible harm level assessment
 

Robot crushed worker at Volkswagen factory. However, no AI linked to the robot. Volkswagen determine this death was due to human error.

Special Interest Intangible Harm

An assessment of whether a special interest intangible harm occurred. This assessment does not consider the context of the intangible harm, if an AI was involved, or if there is characterizable class or subgroup of harmed entities. It is also not assessing if an intangible harm occurred. It is only asking if a special interest intangible harm occurred.
 

no

Date of Incident Year

The year in which the incident occurred. If there are multiple harms or occurrences of the incident, list the earliest. If a precise date is unavailable, but the available sources provide a basis for estimating the year, estimate. Otherwise, leave blank. Enter in the format of YYYY
 

2015

Date of Incident Month

The month in which the incident occurred. If there are multiple harms or occurrences of the incident, list the earliest. If a precise date is unavailable, but the available sources provide a basis for estimating the month, estimate. Otherwise, leave blank. Enter in the format of MM
 

06

Date of Incident Day

The day on which the incident occurred. If a precise date is unavailable, leave blank. Enter in the format of DD
 

29

CSETv0 Taxonomy Classifications

Taxonomy Details

Public Sector Deployment

"Yes" if the AI system(s) involved in the accident were being used by the public sector or for the administration of public goods (for example, public transportation). "No" if the system(s) were being used in the private sector or for commercial purposes (for example, a ride-sharing company), on the other.
 

No

Infrastructure Sectors

Where applicable, this field indicates if the incident caused harm to any of the economic sectors designated by the U.S. government as critical infrastructure.
 

Critical manufacturing

Lives Lost

Were human lives lost as a result of the incident?
 

Yes

Intent

Was the incident an accident, intentional, or is the intent unclear?
 

Accident

Near Miss

Was harm caused, or was it a near miss?
 

Harm caused

Ending Date

The date the incident ended.
 

2015-06-24T07:00:00.000Z

MIT Taxonomy Classifications

Machine-Classified
Taxonomy Details

Risk Subdomain

A further 23 subdomains create an accessible and understandable classification of hazards and harms associated with AI
 

7.3. Lack of capability or robustness

Risk Domain

The Domain Taxonomy of AI Risks classifies risks into seven AI risk domains: (1) Discrimination & toxicity, (2) Privacy & security, (3) Misinformation, (4) Malicious actors & misuse, (5) Human-computer interaction, (6) Socioeconomic & environmental harms, and (7) AI system safety, failures & limitations.
 
  1. AI system safety, failures, and limitations

Entity

Which, if any, entity is presented as the main cause of the risk
 

Human

Timing

The stage in the AI lifecycle at which the risk is presented as occurring
 

Post-deployment

Intent

Whether the risk is presented as occurring as an expected or unexpected outcome from pursuing a goal
 

Unintentional

Incident Reports

Reports Timeline

+1
Worker killed by robot at VW plant
Man crushed to death by robot at car factory+20
Robot kills factory worker in Germany
Robot Kills Worker at Volkswagen Plant in GermanyRobots can kill, but can they murder?+1
Robots Are Killing People. How Worried Should We Be?
Worker killed by robot at VW plant

Worker killed by robot at VW plant

fortune.com

Man crushed to death by robot at car factory

Man crushed to death by robot at car factory

bbc.co.uk

Robot kills factory worker in Germany

Robot kills factory worker in Germany

businessinsider.com

Assembly robot crushes worker at Volkswagen

Assembly robot crushes worker at Volkswagen

thelocal.de

Robot kills worker at Volkswagen plant in Germany

Robot kills worker at Volkswagen plant in Germany

plantservices.com

Robot kills man at VW plant, then this happened

Robot kills man at VW plant, then this happened

ajc.com

Car assembly line robot kills worker in Germany

Car assembly line robot kills worker in Germany

edition.cnn.com

Rise of the Machines: ROBOT KILLS MAN at Volkswagen plant

Rise of the Machines: ROBOT KILLS MAN at Volkswagen plant

theregister.co.uk

Worker killed by robot at Volkswagen car factory

Worker killed by robot at Volkswagen car factory

independent.co.uk

Robot Kills Man at Volkswagen Plant

Robot Kills Man at Volkswagen Plant

time.com

Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Germany

Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Germany

khq.com

Robot Crushes Contractor to Death at VW Motor Plant in Germany

Robot Crushes Contractor to Death at VW Motor Plant in Germany

nbcnews.com

Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Frankfurt, Germany

Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Frankfurt, Germany

dailymail.co.uk

Robot Kills Worker in Volkswagen Factory Accident

Robot Kills Worker in Volkswagen Factory Accident

roboticsbusinessreview.com

Robot hits, kills Volkswagen worker

Robot hits, kills Volkswagen worker

usatoday.com

Robot Kills Man at Volkswagen Plant…Human Error to Blame

Robot Kills Man at Volkswagen Plant…Human Error to Blame

futurism.com

Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Germany

Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Germany

smh.com.au

Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Germany

Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Germany

telegraph.co.uk

Volkswagen Worker Grabbed And Killed by Robot in German Plant

Volkswagen Worker Grabbed And Killed by Robot in German Plant

sciencealert.com

Robot kills worker at Volkswagen plant in Germany

Robot kills worker at Volkswagen plant in Germany

theguardian.com

Robot kills worker at Volkswagen plant

Robot kills worker at Volkswagen plant

wired.co.uk

Robot kills man at German Volkswagen plant

Robot kills man at German Volkswagen plant

computing.co.uk

Man dies in robot accident at Volkswagen. Who is responsible?

Man dies in robot accident at Volkswagen. Who is responsible?

cosmosmagazine.com

Robot Kills Worker at Volkswagen Plant in Germany

Robot Kills Worker at Volkswagen Plant in Germany

iflscience.com

Robots can kill, but can they murder?

Robots can kill, but can they murder?

venturebeat.com

Robots Are Killing People. How Worried Should We Be?

Robots Are Killing People. How Worried Should We Be?

thedailybeast.com

'A Robot Killed a Man': A New Doc Looks at the Terrifying Future of Automation

'A Robot Killed a Man': A New Doc Looks at the Terrifying Future of Automation

vice.com

Worker killed by robot at VW plant
fortune.com · 2014

A technician has died from injuries inflicted by a robot at a Volkswagen (vlkpy) plant near Kassel, Germany.

The technician was in the process of installing the robot with a colleague when he was struck in the chest by it and pressed agains…

Man crushed to death by robot at car factory
bbc.co.uk · 2015

A worker at a Volkswagen factory in Germany has died, after a robot grabbed him and crushed him against a metal plate.

The 22-year-old man died in hospital after the accident at a plant in Baunatal, 100km north of Frankfurt.

He was working …

Robot kills factory worker in Germany
businessinsider.com · 2015

ChinaFotoPress/Getty A robot killed a factory worker at a Volkswagen plant in Germany, FT reports. The 21-year-old worker was installing the robot when it struck him in the chest, crushing him against a plate. He died after the incident.

Pr…

Assembly robot crushes worker at Volkswagen
thelocal.de · 2015

The incident occurred on Monday as a Volkswagen factory in Baunatal, Hesse, when the 21-year-old man from another company was working on assembling the robot for a new electric motor production line.

When the robot started up, it grabbed th…

Robot kills worker at Volkswagen plant in Germany
plantservices.com · 2015

A robot has killed a contractor at one of Volkswagen’s production plants in Germany, the automaker has said.

The 22-year-old was part of a team that was setting up the stationary robot when it grabbed and crushed him against a metal plate, …

Robot kills man at VW plant, then this happened
ajc.com · 2015

A 22-year-old worker in a Volkswagen assembly plant in Germany died Monday when a robot killed him.

The man was inside a metal cage setting up the stationary robot when it reached out and grabbed him, crushing him against a metal plate.

Ano…

Car assembly line robot kills worker in Germany
edition.cnn.com · 2015

Story highlights State prosecutor's office confirms the death

Local media report the robot gripped the worker, who was installing it

(CNN) An automotive assembly line robot killed a worker at a car factory in Germany this week, a prosecutor…

Rise of the Machines: ROBOT KILLS MAN at Volkswagen plant
theregister.co.uk · 2015

A 22 year old man was yesterday killed by a robot at a Volkswagen plant in Baunatal, Germany.

Wire services report that the man was crushed against a metal plate by the robot.

The FT says VW has stated the robot did not suffer a technical d…

Worker killed by robot at Volkswagen car factory
independent.co.uk · 2015

A worker at a Volkswagen factory in Germany has died, after a robot grabbed him and crushed him against a metal plate.

The 22-year-old man died in hospital following the tragic incident at a plant in Baunatal on Monday, around 100km north o…

Robot Kills Man at Volkswagen Plant
time.com · 2015

A robot crushed a worker at a Volkswagen production plant in Germany, the company said Wednesday.

A 22-year-old man was helping to put together the stationary robot that grabs and configures auto parts Monday when the machine grabbed and pu…

Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Germany
khq.com · 2015

Automaker Volkswagen says a robot has killed a contractor at one of its production plants in Germany.

A spokesman for VW says the man died Monday at the plant in Baunatal, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Frankfurt.

Heiko Hillwig sa…

Robot Crushes Contractor to Death at VW Motor Plant in Germany
nbcnews.com · 2015

Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.

July 2, 2015, 2:43 AM GMT / Updated July 2, 2015, 3:28 AM GMT By Alex Johnson

Prosecutors are investigating the…

Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Frankfurt, Germany
dailymail.co.uk · 2015

A rogue robot has killed a technician at a car factory in an accident with chilling overtones of a science fiction movie.

The 22-year-old man was picked up and crushed by an automated arm while working on the production line.

The incident, …

Robot Kills Worker in Volkswagen Factory Accident
roboticsbusinessreview.com · 2015

A technician has been killed by a robot in an accident at a Volkswagen plant near Kassel, Germany, reports the Financial Times.

According to the report, “a 21 year old external contractor was installing the robot together with a colleague w…

Robot hits, kills Volkswagen worker
usatoday.com · 2015

Welding robots work at a Golf V assembly line at the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg, northern Germany, in this 2004 file picture. (Photo: FABIAN BIMMER, AP)

A Volkswagen worker was killed by a production robot Wednesday while on the job in G…

Robot Kills Man at Volkswagen Plant…Human Error to Blame
futurism.com · 2015

A 22-year-old man was helping to put together the stationary robot that grabs and configures auto parts Monday when the machine grabbed and pushed him against a metal plate, the Associated Press reported. He later died from the injuries.

A …

Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Germany
smh.com.au · 2015

A 22-year-old contractor has been killed at a Volkswagen factor in Germany after a stationary robot he was helping to set up grabbed and crushed him to death against a metal plate.

VW spokesman Heiko Hillwig confirmed the man died on Monday…

Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Germany
telegraph.co.uk · 2015

The 22-year-old worker died from injuries he sustained when he was trapped by a robotic arm and crushed against a metal plate.

The man, who has not been named, was part of a team that was setting up the automated machinery at the factory in…

Volkswagen Worker Grabbed And Killed by Robot in German Plant
sciencealert.com · 2015

A 22-year-old German worker has died after an accident involving a robot in a Volkswagen production plant in the town of Baunatal, approximately 100 km north of Frankfurt.

According to Heiko Hillwig, a spokesperson for the company, the cont…

Robot kills worker at Volkswagen plant in Germany
theguardian.com · 2015

Contractor was setting up the stationary robot when it grabbed and crushed him against a metal plate at the plant in Baunatal

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

A robot has killed a contractor at one…

Robot kills worker at Volkswagen plant
wired.co.uk · 2015

Shutterstock

A contractor at a Volkswagen production plant in Germany has been killed by a robot who grabbed him and crushed him against a metal plate.

The 22-year-old man was a member of a team that was tasked with setting up the stationar…

Robot kills man at German Volkswagen plant
computing.co.uk · 2015

The Computing Digital Technology Leaders Awards exist to recognise the achievements of the individuals and companies who are really making it happen at the coal face of the digital technology stack: from website design and coding to UX and …

Man dies in robot accident at Volkswagen. Who is responsible?
cosmosmagazine.com · 2015

A 22-year-old contract worker died last week after being crushed by a stationary robot at Volkswagen's Baunatal plant north of Frankfurt.

Media reports of the accident said the man was "killed by a robot", although a spokesman for the autom…

Robot Kills Worker at Volkswagen Plant in Germany
iflscience.com · 2016

A robot has crushed a man to death at a Volkswagen production plant in Germany. The company confirmed the death on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old German worker was a technician installing a stationary robot, which is programmed to complete a se…

Robots can kill, but can they murder?
venturebeat.com · 2017

If you grew up in the U.S., you’ve probably seen at least one episode of The Jetsons, a cartoon from the 1960s depicting a 21st-century futuristic society with push-button meals, floating cities, and a robot named Rosie.

In the episode titl…

Robots Are Killing People. How Worried Should We Be?
thedailybeast.com · 2018

The specter haunting Europe—and the rest of the world, for that matter—isn’t communism anymore, as Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels so famously wrote in their 1848 manifesto. It’s something far more insidious, and something that Marx and Enge…

'A Robot Killed a Man': A New Doc Looks at the Terrifying Future of Automation
vice.com · 2018

Photo courtesy of HBO

In 2015, a worker at a Volkswagen factory in Germany was grabbed and crushed to death by a stationary robot. In 2016, an Ohio man died when the self-driving Tesla he was in crashed into a tractor-trailer while he watch…

Variants

A "variant" is an incident that shares the same causative factors, produces similar harms, and involves the same intelligent systems as a known AI incident. Rather than index variants as entirely separate incidents, we list variations of incidents under the first similar incident submitted to the database. Unlike other submission types to the incident database, variants are not required to have reporting in evidence external to the Incident Database. Learn more from the research paper.

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