Here are some of the most notable historical and modern news incidents:
1. The First Recorded Fatalities (1979 & 1981)
Robert Williams (1979 – Ford Motor Co., USA):
On January 25, 1979, 25-year-old factory worker Robert Williams became the first recorded human killed by a robot. While attempting to manually clear a parts retrieval system at a Ford casting plant in Michigan, a 1-ton mechanical arm struck him in the head. The machine lacked safety sensors to detect human presence. His family was later awarded $10 million in damages after courts ruled adequate safety features were missing.
Kenji Urada (1981 – Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Japan):
Kenji Urada, a 37-year-old maintenance engineer, climbed over a safety fence to repair a robotic arm without fully shutting off its power. The robotic arm accidentally pushed him into a gear-processing machine, crushing him.
2. Modern Industrial & Agricultural Incidents
Agricultural Box-Packing Robot (2023 – South Korea):
In November 2023, a technician in his 40s was inspecting a pick-and-place industrial robot at a vegetable distribution center in South Gyeongsang province. The robot—designed to lift boxes of bell peppers onto pallets—malfunctioned, misidentified the technician as a box of produce, and crushed him against a conveyor belt.
Automotive Welding Line (2015 – Haryana, India):
At an auto-components factory in Manesar, a 24-year-old worker reached behind a welding line machine to adjust a dislodged metal sheet. The robotic arm proceeded along its pre-programmed path and pierced him with attached welding sticks.
Assembly Line Setup (2015 – Volkswagen Plant, Germany):
A 22-year-old contractor installing an industrial robot at a manufacturing facility in Baunatal was grabbed and crushed against a metal plate by the machine's arm. Prosecutors determined human error during installation was the primary cause rather than a robot defect.
3. Autonomous Vehicles & Transportation
Elaine Herzberg (2018 – Uber Autonomous Vehicle, USA):
In Tempe, Arizona, a self-driving Uber test vehicle struck and killed Elaine Herzberg as she crossed a road. It was the first recorded pedestrian death caused by an autonomous vehicle. Investigation revealed the vehicle's computer vision system struggled to categorize a pedestrian outside a crosswalk, while the human safety driver inside was distracted
I don’t understand why in India after getting successful people want to hear their stories of their past life.
Why can’t people listen stories who are broke because of their parents, family and society not everyone is blessed in this world.
@realDonaldTrump Mr. President @realDonaldTrump — I built everything I have from scratch. Every dollar I earned through sweat, sacrifice, and sleepless nights. No shortcuts. No silver spoon.
Now your tariffs and trade wars are wiping out everything I built. Markets crashing. Savings shrinki
@realDonaldTrump Dreams fading.
We are NOT billionaires who can absorb losses. We are everyday people who FINALLY had a chance to build wealth — and your policies are taking that away.
We don't want drama. We don't want trade wars. We want STABILITY. We want to work, grow, and live in peace.
"By removing taxes, this deal lets world-class fruit enter India at local prices, meaning you get the quality you deserve instead of the 'bad batches' you often see at the store."
#Reliance Smart Bazaar
@SMARTBazaarIn Bharat Mall, Bejai, Mangalore, pin 575004. Kindly inspect 1 to 2 month regularly. I have been using store since 8 months. And whenever I go to buy apples, it's spoiled or has patches. And they do not remove it. Or keep fresh fruits. Also check diary area for expiry of products.