Commercial robot incidents, August 2026
4 commercial robot incidents dated August 2026 so far (provisional, verification backlog), 3 with a person hurt and 1 fatal. 238 cases were added to the register during the month. Most involved Waymo (3). Largest class: autonomous vehicles (3).
Provisional. 143 reports published in or just after this month are still in the verification queue, so the count will rise as they clear. A lower figure here means a slower queue, not fewer incidents.
Incidents are counted by the date they happened, 2026-08-01 to 2026-08-31. Counts measure what was reported in the press the register reads and cleared verification; fleet sizes are not public, so nothing here is a rate. The register holds 255 cases in all. Rules on the methodology page. Previous month: July 2026. Quarterly view: the quarterly record.
By kind of machine
- Autonomous vehicles3
- Service robots1
By company
- Waymo3
By outcome
- minor injury2
- fatality1
- property damage1
Notable
The cases that reached furthest
Ordered by severity, then by how many independent sources the case rests on.
- 2026-08-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with non-motorist: pedestrian in Dallas, TX, reported to NHTSA as a fatalityReport
- 2026-08-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with passenger car in Atlanta, GA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-08-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in Dallas, TX, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-08-02A patrolling robot was damaged after falling down a staircase at Hong Kong airport.Report
Added to the register
238 cases published in August 2026
Everything that cleared verification during the month, including older events documented for the first time. This is the list to cite for what the register learned, as opposed to what happened.
- 2025-08-15Humanoid robots fell, crashed, and malfunctioned repeatedly at the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing from August 15 to 17, 2025.Report
- 2026-06-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Zeekr Rt) was involved in a crash with non-motorist: scooter - skateboard in Los Angeles, CA, reported to NHTSA as moderate w/o hospitalizationReport
- 2026-06-01A Zoox autonomous vehicle (Zoox Zoox) was involved in a crash with pickup truck in Las Vegas, NV, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-06-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in Los Angeles, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-07-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in Washington, DC, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2023-12-22Robotic vacuum cleaner: Mini vacuum sweeperRecall
- 2024-11-08Lawn mower: MiimoRecall
- 2025-03-07Pool cleaner robot: Poolrunner Battery Pro PerformanceRecall
- 2017-01-17Employee Is Struck By Robot Arm And Sustains Fractured SternInvestigation
- 2017-12-12Worker Sustains Fractured Hip When Struck By RobotInvestigation
- 2019-02-11Employee Is Pinned Against Heated Mold By Robotic Arm And SuInvestigation
- 2019-10-22Employee Incurs Concussion When Struck In Head By RobotInvestigation
- 2020-01-09Employee Injures Feet When Repeatedly Struck By Robot PusherInvestigation
- 2020-02-20Employee Sustains Multiple Injuries When Struck By Robot ShuInvestigation
- 2020-09-02Employee Incurs Multiple Injuries When Struck By RobotInvestigation
- 2021-01-14Employee Is Killed When Caught In Between Okura Robotic PallInvestigation
- 2021-04-08Employee Incurs Concussion When Struck By Robotic ArmInvestigation
- 2024-02-22Employee Dies From Chest Injuries When Crushed By Robot ArmInvestigation
- 2024-12-02Employee Is Struck By Robotic Arm While Cleaning SensorInvestigation
- 2025-06-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with non-motorist: cyclist in San Francisco, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-06-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with passenger car in San Francisco, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-07-01A Zoox autonomous vehicle (Toyota Highlander) was involved in a crash with passenger car in Spring Valley, NV, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-07-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in Santa Clara, CA, reported to NHTSA as moderate w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-07-01A Tesla autonomous vehicle (Tesla Model Y) was involved in a crash with suv in Austin, TX, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-08-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in San Francisco, CA, reported to NHTSA as moderate w/o hospitalizationReport
- 2025-08-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with heavy truck in San Francisco, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-09-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with motorcycle in Tempe, AZ, reported to NHTSA as a fatalityReport
- 2025-09-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with pickup truck in Atlanta, GA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-09-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with non-motorist: cyclist in Atlanta, GA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-09-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in Los Angeles, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-10-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with passenger car in Atlanta, GA, reported to NHTSA as moderate w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-10-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with non-motorist: cyclist in San Francisco, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-10-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with passenger car in San Francisco, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-11-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with passenger car in Austin, TX, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-11-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in San Francisco, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-11-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with non-motorist: pedestrian in Scottsdale, AZ, reported to NHTSA as moderate w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-11-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with passenger car in Tempe, AZ, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-11-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in Scottsdale, AZ, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-12-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with non-motorist: cyclist in Palo Alto, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-12-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with passenger car in Phoenix, AZ, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-12-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with passenger car in Atlanta, GA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-12-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in San Francisco, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2025-12-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with van in Los Angeles, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-01-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with passenger car in Los Angeles, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-01-01A Avride Inc. autonomous vehicle (Hyundai Ioniq 5) was involved in a crash with passenger car in Dallas, TX, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-01-01A May Mobility autonomous vehicle (Toyota Sienna) was involved in a crash with other fixed object in Atlanta, GA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-02-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with van in San Francisco, CA, reported to NHTSA as moderate w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-02-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with passenger car in San Francisco, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-03-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in Inglewood, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-03-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with pickup truck in Austin, TX, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-04-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in San Francisco, CA, reported to NHTSA as moderate w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-04-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in San Francisco, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-04-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in Los Angeles, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-04-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with pickup truck in Atlanta, GA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-04-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with motorcycle in Atlanta, GA, reported to NHTSA as moderate w/o hospitalizationReport
- 2026-04-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in Los Angeles, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-04-01A May Mobility autonomous vehicle (Toyota Sienna) was involved in a crash with other, see narrative in Atlanta, GA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-04-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in Los Angeles, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-05-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with passenger car in Santa Monica, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-05-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Zeekr Rt) was involved in a crash with pickup truck in Los Angeles, CA, reported to NHTSA as moderate w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-05-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with passenger car in Los Angeles, CA, reported to NHTSA as moderate w/o hospitalizationReport
- 2026-05-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with pickup truck in Phoenix, AZ, reported to NHTSA as moderate w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-05-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with passenger car in Inglewood, CA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2012-09-26A piece of a surgical robot fell into a patient's abdominal cavity unnoticed during surgery, resulting in a $475,000 lawsuit.Lawsuit
- 2026-08-02A patrolling robot was damaged after falling down a staircase at Hong Kong airport.Report
- 2026-05-12Waymo recalled 3,791 robotaxis after an unoccupied vehicle drove into a flooded road in San Antonio, Texas, and was swept into a creek, a software flaw that let the cars enter standing water.Recall
- 2024-04-17Six Waymo robotaxis blocked traffic at a San Francisco freeway on-ramp.Report
- 2022-09-01Cruise recalls robotaxis after a passenger was injured in a crash.Recall
- 2021-10-29Zimmer surgical robot subject to Class I recall due to a software glitch.Recall
- 2025-12-23Amazon's Zoox recalls 332 US robotaxi vehicles due to a software error.Recall
- 2026-07-30AI humanoid robot collapsed during a live demonstration in Taiwan, video went viral.Report
- 2022-07-21Chess robot grabbed and broke the finger of a seven-year-old child during a matchReport
- 2025-12-28Man wearing motion capture suit suffered injury while controlling a Unitree G1 humanoid robotReport
- 2026-06-05Humanoid robot kicks a child during a public performance in Xinjiang, ChinaFollow-up
- 2015-08-14A robot arm killed a co-worker at a car factory in India.Follow-up
- 2026-03-31Uber Eats delivery robots were vandalised in a Sheffield suburbReport
- 2026-05-13Waymo recalled approximately 3,800 robotaxis due to a software failure that caused vehicles to drive into flooded roads.Recall
- 2016-04-22$30M surgical robot defect trial settles during jury deliberationsSettlement
- 2026-05-02A Unitree humanoid robot malfunctioned during a festive performance in a Beijing park, aggressively flailing its limbs near human dancers until organizers powered it down.Report
- 2026-03-25During a public robot dance show in Shaanxi, China, a humanoid robot performing a spinning routine swung its arm outward and struck a young boy standing near the stage.Report
- 2025-08-15A Unitree H1 humanoid robot struck a bystander during the 1500-meter race at the Humanoid Robot Sports Games when two human operators failed to issue an evasion command in time during a remote-control handover.Report
- 2022-06-03A Cruise driverless robotaxi braked harshly while making an unprotected left turn and was struck by an oncoming speeding vehicle in San Francisco, resulting in minor injuries.Recall
- 2024-08-22GM's Cruise recalls nearly 1,200 robotaxis to close a US government probe stemming from a crash.Recall
- 2026-02-01XPeng Motors' humanoid robot IRON fell face-first onto a stage during its first public appearance at a shopping mall in southern China.Follow-up
- 2025-05-03An 'out of control' humanoid robot caused a disturbance in China, alarming engineers nearby.Follow-up
- 2024-02-01A Starship Technologies food delivery robot operated for S Group slid off an icy sidewalk in Helsinki, scratching both doors of a parked car, then fled the scene after a passerby placed it back on the road.Report
- 2022-07-05Husqvarna's Automower 435X and Automower 535 robot lawn mowers caught fire during battery charging, resulting in five reported fire incidents, prompting a safety recall by the OPSS.Recall
- 2023-03-24A driverless Cruise robotaxi with no passengers rear-ended a San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Muni bus, causing modest damage to the bus and more severe damage to the robotaxi's front bumper, with no injuries reported.Recall
- 2026-03-01A Waymo robotaxi became stuck perpendicular across a road while executing a U-turn during an active shooter incident in Austin, Texas, blocking an ambulance and requiring a police officer to manually drive it away.Follow-up
- 2024-03-27A factory worker was pinned to a bench and crushed to death by a robot at the Vandapac factory in Chonburi, Thailand.Report
- 2026-01-23A driverless Waymo robotaxi struck a child who had stepped into the street from behind an SUV during morning drop-off outside a Santa Monica elementary school, resulting in minor injuries.Investigation
- 2026-04-28During its public unveiling in Kyoto, the humanoid robot prototype SEIMEI suffered a leg component malfunction just before the presentation, preventing any walking demonstration.Report
- 2023-07-20A worker at Highline Mushrooms' Kingsville plant was critically injured after becoming entangled in netting on a net washer machine's rotating bar, resulting in a $143,750 fine against Highline Produce Limited.Report
- 2023-08-24Aiper Elite Pro Cordless Robotic Pool Vacuum Cleaners Recalled Due to Burn and Fire Hazards; Distributed by Shenzhen Aiper Intelligent Co. (Recall Alert)Recall
- 2023-06-15An unmanned Cruise autonomous vehicle struck a woman's off-leash Labrador in a crosswalk at Clay and Baker streets in San Francisco; the dog was reported uninjured.Report
- 2026-01-07Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robot performed a backflip during a CES 2026 demonstration in Las Vegas, landing successfully but losing its hand in the process.Report
- 2024-03-04Saudi humanoid robot 'Muhammad' allegedly touched a female reporter inappropriately on her back during its public launch at the DeepFast event in Riyadh.Report
- 2026-04-26A dancing humanoid robot at a university sports event in Shaanxi, China suddenly turned and hugged a female dancer beside it before staff intervened and pulled it away.Follow-up
- 2026-07-26Qualcomm's new AI robot collapsed and malfunctioned during an on-stage demonstrationFollow-up
- 2026-07-25A DoorDash delivery robot wandered into an active SWAT operation and refused to leaveFollow-up
- 2025-04-12An Aiper Seagull Pro ZT6001 robotic pool vacuum cleaner caught fire while charging in Canada, prompting a Health Canada recall of 2,606 units sold between July 2023 and April 2024.Recall
- 2019-03-22A newlywed employee at a Co Armagh firm was killed by a falling robot, resulting in the company being fined ยฃ50,000.Report
- 2013-12-04A worker was crushed to death under a robotic arm.Report
- 2025-05-26An employee of N&C Enterprises Ltd. in Kilmeague was struck and killed by a rotating robotic arm after entering a restricted area through a retrofitted gate that bypassed the plant's safety protections.Report
- 2013-11-13A robot vacuum cleaner reactivated itself on a kitchen worktop in Austria, pushed a cooking pot aside, landed on a hot stove element, melted and caught fire, causing smoke damage that rendered the home uninhabitable.Report
- 2025-05-08An unoccupied Zoox robotaxi was struck by an electric scooter at a San Francisco intersection after braking to yield, causing the rider to fall; the robotaxi continued moving and completed a turn before stopping without making further contact with the rider, who sustained minor injuries.Recall
- 2023-08-07A driverless Cruise autonomous vehicle was struck by a semi-truck performing a left turn from the right lane near Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, sustaining damage to its passenger-side mirror, a camera, and a tire, with no passengers in the vehicle and no injuries reported.Report
- 2019-02-14A Deebot Ecovac robotic vacuum is suspected of catching fire in a Fort Thomas, Kentucky home, causing damage to the property while the owner escaped unharmed.Report
- 2024-03-05A robotic vacuum exploded at a family home in Fenton, raising concerns about a broader safety problemReport
- 2026-03-23A Serve Robotics food delivery robot crashed into and shattered the glass of a CTA bus shelter at Grand and Racine in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, with no injuries reported.Follow-up
- 2026-02-05Robot glitch at Honda factory caused vehicles to be assembled with loose driver's seats, leading to a recallReport
- 2016-07-07Dallas PD used a robot to kill a suspect after negotiations failed during a standoff.Report
- 2022-05-16A man was crushed to death by the compactor mechanism of an automated dumpster in Alexandroupolis, Greece, after reaching inside the bin.Report
- 2015-07-07A worker at Ventra Ionia Main was trapped by robotic machinery and pronounced dead at the scene in Ionia, Michigan.Lawsuit
- 2022-03-08A man claiming to be an Amazon warehouse employee posted a viral TikTok video showing himself temporarily trapped in an aisle by automatically moving robotic shelving units, taking approximately 15 minutes to find a way out with no reported injury.Report
- 2026-03-17Reporter trapped inside a self-driving robotaxi during an anti-robot protest attack on the vehicle.Report
- 2024-09-27A paralyzed former jockey was left unable to use his ReWalk Personal exoskeleton after manufacturer Lifeward refused to service the device due to its age, before eventually agreeing to repair it following a public campaign.Report
- 2024-04-16A 54-year-old man with a T10 complete spinal cord injury sustained bilateral proximal tibial fractures during a powered robotic exoskeleton physiotherapy session, requiring manipulation under anaesthetic and 12 weeks of non-weight-bearing treatment.Report
- 2016-08-15A Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner ran over dog feces and spread the mess across every surface throughout a home in Little Rock, Arkansas.Report
- 2024-06-08A cleaning robot caught fire while charging in Ward 76 of Singapore General Hospital, activating the sprinkler system and prompting evacuation of patients, with no injuries reported.Follow-up
- 2024-05-24Hackers remotely took control of Ecovacs Deebot X2 robot vacuums in multiple US cities, using their speakers to yell racial slurs at owners and their cameras to surveil homes.Follow-up
- 2026-07-21A fire believed to have been sparked by a robot vacuum broke out at a Hanyang Apartments unit in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul, forcing more than 20 residents to evacuate and requiring 133 firefighting personnel to extinguish; one resident suffered dizziness from smoke inhalation.Investigation
- 2024-07-05A Bear Robotics administrative robot employed by Gumi City Council fell down a flight of stairs between the first and second floors of the council building, destroying itself.Report
- 2025-08-06A Baidu Apollo Go robotaxi carrying a female passenger fell into a deep construction pit in Chongqing, China; the passenger was uninjured and rescued by local residents using a ladder.Report
- 2019-06-03Two construction workers in Washington State were severely injured in separate incidents involving remote-controlled demolition robots: one was pinned against a wall with his chest severely crushed, and another suffered broken bones and nerve damage when a machine came down on his foot.Report
- 2019-01-06A self-driving Tesla Model S struck and destroyed a Promobot v4 autonomous service robot in a parking lot street at 3000 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, while the robot was being transported to the Consumer Electronics Show venue.Report
- 2024-09-02YouTuber IShowSpeed was set on fire during a livestream when his robot dog equipped with a flamethrower shot flames at him multiple times, causing him to jump into a pool to escape.Report
- 2021-01-01A Tesla software engineer was attacked by a robot at Tesla's Giga Texas factory in Austin when a third robot that had not been disabled pinned him and sank its metal claws into his back and arm, causing lacerations.Follow-up
- 2022-09-01J.T. Beckham, a man in his 20s, was killed when he was pinned by a welding robot at the Unipres USA manufacturing plant in Forest, Mississippi.Report
- 2026-05-15Dunedin robotics company charged following a worker's death involving a robotCriminal charge
- 2023-11-07A robotics company employee in his 40s was crushed to death by a robotic arm at a pepper sorting plant in South Gyeongsang province, South Korea, after the arm confused him for a box of vegetables and pushed him against a conveyor belt.Follow-up
- 2025-12-29A humanoid robot kicked a man in the groin area during a sparring session, drawing Elon Musk's reaction.Report
- 2025-02-22A humanoid robot malfunctioned at a festival in China and moved toward attendees, prompting security guards to intervene; authorities confirmed the malfunction was unexpected and that the robot had passed prior tests.Follow-up
- 2025-08-23A Unitree G1 humanoid robot deviated from its planned martial arts demonstration at a UFC event in Shanghai and moved toward UFC boss Dana White, who dodged away unharmed.Report
- 2015-01-01NASA's Robonaut 2 humanoid robot, developed with General Motors and installed on the International Space Station, suffered progressive hardware failures beginning in 2015 traced to a missing ground cable and was being returned to Earth for repairs as of February 2018.Report
- 2026-02-21A software engineer inadvertently discovered a security vulnerability in DJI's backend servers that granted him access to live camera feeds, microphone audio, floor maps, and status data from nearly 7,000 DJI Romo robot vacuums across 24 countries.Report
- 2025-11-20Figure AI retired its Figure 02 humanoid robots after an 11-month deployment at BMW Manufacturing's Spartanburg, South Carolina plant, where they loaded sheet-metal parts and contributed to the production of over 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles, accumulating visible wear and tear but no reported injuries.Report
- 2025-09-01Former Figure AI principal robotic safety engineer Robert Gruendel sued the company in the Northern District of California, alleging he was dismissed in September 2025 after warning executives that the company's humanoid robots were powerful enough to fracture a human skull, and citing a malfunction in which a robot carved a quarter-inch gash into a steel refrigerator door.Lawsuit
- 2026-02-18A Unitree G1 humanoid robot lost its balance while performing in front of a crowd in China, flailed its limbs during a recovery attempt, and kicked a man (apparently its operator) in the nose, causing bleeding and a possible fracture.Report
- 2025-03-19Zoox issued a voluntary software recall for 258 vehicles equipped with autonomous driving software released before November 5, 2024, following two incidents in which motorcyclists collided with the rear of Zoox-equipped Toyota Highlanders that were operating with their autonomous systems engaged.Report
- 2025-05-06Zoox issues software recall for 270 robotaxis following a collision in Las VegasRecall
- 2024-05-21A driverless Waymo Jaguar I-Pace robotaxi collided with a telephone pole at 8 MPH while performing a low-speed pullover maneuver in an alley in Phoenix, sustaining damage but causing no injuries.Recall
- 2023-10-02A Cruise robotaxi ran over a pedestrian who had been pushed into its path by a hit-and-run vehicle and pinned the person beneath its tire in San Francisco, leading to California regulators revoking Cruise's robotaxi permits.Criminal charge
- 2023-08-17A Cruise self-driving robotaxi was struck by a San Francisco Fire Department truck en route to an emergency at the intersection of Polk and Turk Streets in the Tenderloin district, resulting in one passenger being transported to a hospital with non-severe injuries.Regulator action
- 2025-09-14A Waymo robotaxi slowing to turn into a parking lot on Rural Road near Arizona State University was rear-ended by a motorcyclist, who was then struck by a hit-and-run human driver and later died at the hospital.Report
- 2024-12-27A Waymo robotaxi collided with a Serve Robotics sidewalk delivery robot at an intersection in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, with neither vehicle sustaining damage.Report
- 2021-10-28A Pony.ai autonomous vehicle operating in driverless mode struck a center divider and traffic sign on Fremont Blvd in Fremont, California, sustaining moderate damage with no injuries reported.Report
- 2024-01-17Two Starship delivery robots faced a stalemate on a Cambridge street corner, unable to pass each other.Report
- 2020-07-28A Starship Technologies delivery robot veered into a canal near New Bradwell in Milton Keynes and had to be retrieved by the company.Report
- 2019-10-21A Starship Technologies food delivery robot waiting in a curb ramp on Forbes Avenue at Pitt's campus blocked the path of a wheelchair-using doctoral student, forcing her to alter her route to reach the sidewalk.Report
- 2026-04-18A video compilation shows multiple delivery robot incidents, including a Coco Robotics bot struck by a train, a Starship Technologies robot disrupting a marching band in Tennessee, a Coco bot dragged by a car in Los Angeles, another Coco bot falling down stairs, and a Serve Robotics bot left with a damaged tire after a collision.Report
- 2024-09-14A Boston Dynamics robot dog fell down a flight of stairs and broke during a demonstration at Jaguar Land Rover's battery testing facility in Coventry.Report
- 2023-04-18An FDNY Boston Dynamics Spot robodog fell over onto its side while surveying the rubble of a collapsed parking garage in Manhattan, though it later recovered and helped locate the remains of a worker who died in the collapse.Report
- 2021-02-24During the 'Spot's Rampage' interactive art exhibit in a Brooklyn studio, a Boston Dynamics Spot robot equipped with a paintball gun malfunctioned and collapsed on its side approximately one hour after users began remotely controlling it to destroy artwork inside the space.Report
- 2025-07-25Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot production is reported to be severely behind schedule due to technical bottlenecks with robot hands, with mostly complete units missing hands piling up at Tesla's facility.Report
- 2026-02-17Tesla's Robotaxi fleet in Austin accumulated 14 crashes since June 2025, including one July 2025 incident later upgraded to require hospitalization, with the fleet crashing at approximately four times the rate of human drivers by Tesla's own benchmark.Follow-up
- 2014-03-25Shareholders filed a derivative lawsuit against Intuitive Surgical alleging the company underreported adverse events and concealed recalls related to its da Vinci surgical robot.Report
- 2009-01-01Michelle Zarick alleged that inadequately insulated electrified scissors on the da Vinci robotic surgical system caused internal injuries during a 2009 hysterectomy, resulting in intestinal prolapse and emergency surgery requiring a hip-to-hip incision.Report
- 2023-09-15Asensus Surgical issued a customer alert on September 15, 2023, warning that the Senhance surgical robot's laparoscope instrument actuator could rotate continuously after disconnection from its remote control, posing a risk of tissue trauma, though no patient harm occurred, and the FDA classified it as a Class I recall.Report
- 2013-06-14Lawsuits allege that microscopic cracks in the insulating covers of the da Vinci Surgical System's Monopolar Curved Scissors allowed electrical current to leak and burn patients during minimally invasive surgeries at hospitals across the United States.Report
- 2025-04-01Class certified for purchasers in antitrust lawsuit against surgical robot manufacturerReport
- 2021-07-14Hospitals sue surgical robot maker over allegedly restrictive contractsReport
- 2015-02-05A Korean housewife's hair was sucked into a robot vacuum cleaner causing an incident at home.Follow-up
- 2020-11-03iRobot warned owners that certain Roomba i7+ Clean Base docking stations could malfunction and present a hazard if liquids collected by the robot vacuum were deposited into the unit.Report
- 2023-04-09A robotic vacuum cleaner docked in its charging station caused a fire in a bungalow in Holland-on-Sea, Essex, resulting in two residents being treated for smoke inhalation and the lounge being severely damaged.Report
- 2023-05-12A proposed class action lawsuit alleges that Ecovacs Deebot robot vacuums contain a defective motor built from substandard materials that causes the devices to fail prematurely and become wholly inoperable.Report
- 2024-04-22A robot vacuum cleaner knocked a heat gun onto the floor of a Kailua home, causing it to turn on and start a fire that resulted in approximately $760,000 in damage to the structure and contents.Report
- 2026-07-03A robot vacuum exploded at a home in Brabham, Perth, critically burning a 25-year-old man over approximately 75% of his body and destroying the property.Follow-up
- 2024-02-06A Waymo driverless robotaxi struck a bicyclist who was occluded by a truck at the intersection of 17th Street and Mississippi Street in San Francisco, resulting in minor injuries to the cyclist who was not taken to the hospital.Investigation
- 2024-05-13A Zoox autonomous test vehicle equipped with Amazon's automated driving system stopped suddenly in San Francisco and was rear-ended by a motorcyclist who suffered minor injuries to their hands, prompting an NHTSA investigation opened on May 10, 2024.Investigation
- 2023-08-14Two Cruise autonomous vehicles stopped in traffic lanes on August 14, 2023 in San Francisco, allegedly delaying an ambulance transporting a pedestrian with life-threatening injuries who later died at the hospital, though Cruise disputes that its vehicles impeded the ambulance.Report
- 2025-06-22A Tesla Robotaxi safety monitor pressed a stop button on the center touchscreen to prevent a near-collision with a reversing UPS truck as the autonomous vehicle attempted to pull into a parking spot in Austin, Texas.Follow-up
- 2024-09-27A Waymo robotaxi stalled while making a U-turn in front of Vice President Kamala Harris' motorcade in San Francisco, requiring an SFPD officer to manually drive the vehicle out of the way.Report
- 2025-07-06A Tesla Robotaxi (Model Y) drove into the side of a parked Toyota Camry in the parking lot of Home Slice Pizza in Austin after completing a drop-off, lightly grazing the Camry's right tire.Report
- 2025-01-19An unoccupied Waymo robotaxi stopped at a traffic light was rear-ended in a multi-vehicle collision at Sixth and Harrison Streets in San Francisco, killing one person and injuring seven others.Report
- 2026-03-11An unoccupied Waymo robotaxi stopped between a railroad crossing arm and the tracks in Texas, remaining stationary as a train passed within inches of the vehicle.Report
- 2026-04-05A Waymo robotaxi entered a drive-thru the wrong way in Los Angeles, causing concern for a waiting passenger's family before the vehicle stopped and the passenger boarded.Report
- 2025-12-12Three Waymo robotaxis became deadlocked on a San Francisco street after two navigated into a dead end and a third behaved erratically, requiring a human Waymo employee to manually move each vehicle.Report
- 2025-12-07A Baidu Apollo RT6 robotaxi operated by Hello collided with two pedestrians on Yanjiang Road in Zhuzhou, China, trapping one person beneath the vehicle; both a man and a woman were transported to the ICU.Regulator action
- 2025-12-20During a widespread power outage affecting approximately 130,000 PG&E customers in San Francisco, multiple Waymo robotaxis stalled in traffic and clogged roadways, prompting the company to suspend its ride-hailing service until the following day.Report
- 2025-12-14A Waymo robotaxi stalled on a narrow bridge over the Venice Canals during a holiday boat parade, causing a 45-minute traffic backup of at least a mile.Report
- 2026-03-25A Waymo robotaxi stalled during a wildfire near I-280 and was moved to safety by the California Highway Patrol.Report
- 2025-09-17Tesla reported three accidents involving its Robotaxi service Model Y vehicles in Austin, Texas, in July 2025, including one with a minor injury and two with only property damage, while redacting narrative details from NHTSA filings.Report
- 2026-02-27Waymo robotaxis were involved in an accident on their first day of operations in Charlotte.Report
- 2026-03-02A Waymo driverless vehicle blocked a road for more than a minute near an active mass shooting scene in Austin, causing an ambulance to turn around, though Austin-Travis County EMS said it did not believe the obstruction had an impact on patient outcomes.Regulator action
- 2025-10-01Tesla reported an eighth crash involving its Robotaxi fleet in Austin, Texas, occurring in October 2025, with no injuries reported, while the vehicle was proceeding straight and came into contact with an unspecified object or party.Report
- 2026-05-15Tesla unredacted 17 autonomous driving crash reports filed with NHTSA covering incidents from July 2025 through March 2026 in Austin, Texas, revealing that of the crashes involving its Robotaxi fleet, 13 resulted in property damage only, 2 had no injuries, 1 involved a minor injury without hospitalization, and 1 involved a minor injury requiring hospitalization.Report
- 2026-03-31A system malfunction caused multiple Baidu Apollo Go driverless robotaxis to stall in the middle of roads in Wuhan, leaving passengers stranded for hours, with police confirming the incident after receiving numerous calls on Tuesday night.Follow-up
- 2026-06-10Tesla's robotaxi service reported to have long waits and stalled rides during operationReport
- 2026-05-17An unoccupied Waymo robotaxi struck a guard gate barrier arm at the entrance of a condo community in Miami-Dade County; no injuries were reported.Report
- 2026-07-15GM Cruise robotaxi injury lawsuit sent to arbitration due to sign-in wrap agreementReport
- 2026-05-01A Tesla remote operator, while attempting to maneuver an autonomous Model Y out of a dead-end residential road in Houston, drove the vehicle into a hidden tree stump at 2 mph, causing minor property damage.Report
- 2025-12-09A delivery robot rammed into the back of a pedestrian's leg in Lincoln Park, Chicago, prompting a petition calling for a pause on robot deliveries citing collisions with people, pets, and bicyclists.Report
- 2026-06-11A Daxbot sidewalk robot being directed through a crosswalk by a human operator was struck and damaged by a truck making a right turn at the intersection of West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and North Palace Avenue in Tyler, Texas.Report
- 2026-02-05A robotic vacuum cleaner's lithium battery caught fire inside a Miami Gardens home, resulting in a 20-year-old man being airlifted to hospital with injuries.Report
- 2023-12-11Two unoccupied Waymo robotaxis separately collided with the same improperly towed pickup truck in Phoenix, Arizona on December 11, 2023, resulting in minor damage and no injuries, prompting Waymo's first-ever software recall.Report
- 2026-06-03CNN analysis of government records and social media videos found hundreds of incidents in which Waymo robotaxis made dangerous maneuvers including running red lights, driving into oncoming traffic and flooded roads, and coming within inches of pedestrians across multiple US cities.Report
- 2024-08-14The FDA issued a warning letter to Globus Medical after finding that the company failed to properly investigate complaints of misplaced screws and delayed reporting serious injuries, including spinal cord damage to a patient, associated with its ExcelsiusGPS surgical robot.Report
- 2022-02-17Husqvarna Recalls All-Wheel Drive Robotic Lawnmowers Due to Fire Hazard (Recall Alert)Recall
- 2025-06-12Medtronic issued an urgent field safety notice in Europe for its Hugo surgical robot's surgeon consoles due to potential main power supply failures, with 25 complaints received including six non-serious injuries and no serious patient harm reported.Report
- 2025-08-26Zoox issued a voluntary software recall affecting 332 vehicles after its autonomous driving system caused robotaxis to cross center lane lines or block crosswalks near intersections, with 62 such instances recorded between August 26 and December 5, 2025, and no collisions reported.Recall
- 2025-05-14Waymo recalled 1,212 robotaxis after NHTSA opened a probe into 16 collisions between 2022 and late 2024 in which Waymo vehicles struck chains, gates, and other roadway barriers, with no injuries reported.Recall
- 2026-04-09Wybotics Recalls Robotic Pool Vacuums Due to Burn and Fire HazardsRecall
- 2025-12-05Waymo announced a voluntary software recall after its robotaxis were found to have illegally passed stopped school buses with extended stop signs and flashing lights on multiple occasions in Atlanta and Austin, with no injuries reported.Recall
- 2026-06-18Waymo recalled approximately 3,900 robotaxis after 13 known incidents in which vehicles drove into closed freeway construction zones in Phoenix, Arizona, and the San Francisco Bay Area, prompting a voluntary software recall filed with NHTSA.Recall
- 2025-01-27A cat named Sarabi was fatally crushed by an Autoscooper 11 self-cleaning litter box in a Bronx apartment on January 27, 2025, when the device's safety mechanism failed to stop when the animal was inside.Report
- 2025-11-05A private Tasmanian hospital is being sued over an injury claim related to robotic surgery.Report
- 2022-06-03A 71-year-old man died on June 26, 2022, after undergoing robotic surgery to remove prostate cancer at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London on June 3, 2022, with a lawsuit alleging the hospital lacked the resources to safely perform the procedure and failed to transfer him sooner to a major medical center.Report
- 2021-09-01A da Vinci surgical robot allegedly burned and tore a patient's small intestine during colon cancer surgery in Florida in September 2021, leading to additional procedures and her death in February 2022, prompting a wrongful death lawsuit against Intuitive Surgical.Lawsuit
- 2019-11-01At Tesla's Fremont, California plant in November 2019, a stack of three steel skids on an automated conveyor system knocked a worker down and dragged him more than 15 feet, seriously injuring both his legs.Lawsuit
- 2025-07-03Humanoid robots competed in China's inaugural RoBoLeague football tournament in Beijing, with some falling and requiring 'rescue' during play.Report
- 2025-11-05A Unitree G1 humanoid robot tested by YouTuber Cody Detwiler spilled food on the floor while attempting to cook stir-fry, slipped on the scattered food, and fell, also causing the owner to slip.Report
- 2026-05-20A Unitree humanoid robot fell twice while performing Michael Jackson's moonwalk at an event organized by robot store Future Era in Shenzhen, China, and had to be dragged off stage by staff.Follow-up
- 2025-11-10Russia's AIdol humanoid robot lost balance and fell on stage during its official debut at a technology event in Moscow on November 10, 2025, leaving pieces on the stage and prompting staff to hide it behind a screen.Follow-up
- 2026-03-17A service robot at what social media users claimed was a Haidilao hotpot restaurant in China malfunctioned, knocking plates off a counter and swinging its arms erratically while a staff member attempted to restrain it.Follow-up
- 2025-12-06A Tesla Optimus humanoid robot fell backward during a public demonstration at a Tesla store in Miami, dropping water bottles and making hand motions consistent with a teleoperation headset being removed.Follow-up
- 2026-07-17During the opening night of the URKL humanoid robot combat tournament in Shenzhen, an EngineAI T800 robot named 'Matador' had its head knocked off by opponent 'White Eagle' and was knocked out of the fight.Report
- 2018-12-13A 49-year-old factory worker in China was impaled by ten steel spikes when a robot malfunctioned and collapsed onto him, injuring his arm and chest; surgeons removed all spikes and he was left in stable condition.Report
- 2015-06-29A technician was killed at a Volkswagen assembly plant in Germany after a robot he was assembling picked him up and pushed him into a metal plate.Follow-up
- 1979-01-25A 25-year-old Ford assembly line worker was killed instantly when a robot arm struck him in the head while he was gathering parts in a storage facility at a Ford casting plant in Flat Rock, Michigan.Report
- 2016-06-18A 20-year-old worker was killed when a robot at the Ajin USA plant in Cusseta, Alabama restarted abruptly while she was inside a robotic station clearing a sensor fault on a stopped assembly line.Criminal charge
- 2017-04-14A 48-year-old engineer at Deco-Pak in Hipperholme was fatally crushed by a robotic arm while cleaning a sensor inside the machine's cell, dying from crush injuries to his chest.Report
- 2016-07-14A Knightscope K5 security robot ran over a 16-month-old toddler at a shopping centre in Silicon Valley, leaving him with swelling to his right foot.Report
- 2026-05-08A 22-year-old trainee engineer, Ramanjaneyulu, was fatally injured after being caught in a robotic arm at NPH Industries, a Kia ancillary unit in Penukonda, Andhra Pradesh.Report
- 2023-09-16Co-op delivery robots in Cambridge became confused by fire hoses and fire engines blocking the road during a derelict building fire and had to be carried over the obstructions by Cambridgeshire firefighters.Report
- 2018-12-14A KiwiBot delivery robot caught fire at UC Berkeley on December 14, 2018, and was extinguished by a passerby and subsequently by the Berkeley Fire Department.Follow-up
- 2021-09-01A Starship Technologies autonomous delivery robot was struck by a Ford Escape at the University of Kentucky, damaging the robot's wheels, while it appeared to have the right of way.Report
- 2020-09-16A Starship food delivery robot was flipped over after being involved in an accident with a car at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, prompting students to hold a memorial vigil.Report
- 2023-09-19A Starship delivery robot at Arizona State University abruptly changed direction, knocked over a university employee, and then reversed toward the victim while she was still on the ground, injuring her.Lawsuit
- 2024-09-10An Avride delivery robot collided with a cyclist's e-bike at the intersection of Philomena Street and Berkman Drive in Austin, Texas, causing the cyclist serious personal injuries.Report
- 2026-01-15An Uber Eats delivery robot became stuck on railroad tracks in Miami and was struck and destroyed by an oncoming train on January 15, 2026, with no injuries reported.Follow-up
- 2026-02-20A Coco food delivery robot uprooted a garden, became entangled in a fence, and dragged the fencing down the street in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, causing property damage to a resident's yard.Report
- 2025-09-13A Serve Robotics delivery robot collided with a man with cerebral palsy riding a mobility scooter on a sidewalk near the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station, causing his scooter to jolt backward.Follow-up
- 2026-01-23An ambulance transporting a patient to a hospital collided with an automated food delivery cart at the intersection of Western and Fountain avenues in Hollywood, causing no additional injuries but requiring the patient to be transferred to a second ambulance.Follow-up
- 2025-10-22An Uber Eats delivery robot developed by Avride allegedly cut off a cyclist in the bike lane on Varick Street in Jersey City, causing him to go airborne and sustain a concussion and broken clavicle.Report
- 2026-05-13An Uber Eats food delivery robot designed by Avride entered a crosswalk against a stop signal in Philadelphia and was struck by a truck, dislodging one of its wheels before the robot continued on.Report
- 2021-07-20Three warehouse robots collided on top of an automated grid system at Ocado's Erith facility, causing a fire that damaged part of the grid and forced thousands of order cancellations.Report
- 2018-12-06Amazon warehouse robot accidentally punctured a can of bear repellent, hospitalizing multiple workersFollow-up
Every case
All 4 incidents dated August 2026
Newest first. Each one links to its timeline and to the sources it rests on. Case metadata is CC BY 4.0; cite the register by its DOI, 10.5281/zenodo.22925531.
- 2026-08-02A patrolling robot was damaged after falling down a staircase at Hong Kong airport.Report
- 2026-08-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with passenger car in Atlanta, GA, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-08-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with suv in Dallas, TX, reported to NHTSA as minor w/ hospitalizationReport
- 2026-08-01A Waymo autonomous vehicle (Jaguar I-Pace) was involved in a crash with non-motorist: pedestrian in Dallas, TX, reported to NHTSA as a fatalityReport
The next roundup, and every case before it, by email
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