Tesla Technician Seriously Injured by Robot, Sues for $51 Million
A Tesla technician was seriously injured during work when a faulty robot struck him and has filed a $51 million lawsuit against the company and robot supplier Fanuc America.
50-year-old Peter Hinterdobler was injured in July 2023 at the Tesla factory in Fremont, California, while assisting in the removal of a robot. At the time, engineers were trying to remove the motor from the bottom of the robot, and the robot arm suddenly released without warning, hitting Hinterdobler with the force equivalent to about 8,000 pounds, throwing him to the ground and causing him to lose consciousness.
The accident caused Hinterdobler serious physical trauma, emotional distress, and financial loss. To date, his medical expenses have reached $1 million, and further treatment is expected to cost at least $6 million.
Court documents state that the involved robot was placed in an unauthorized area and did not meet equipment design specifications. Hinterdobler accuses Tesla of failing to ensure the safety of the machinery, forcing him to perform disassembly operations without completing safe power-off and fixation, which constitutes serious negligence. He also alleges that Fanuc America, the robot manufacturer, was negligent in product design.
With the increasing automation of factories, the risks associated with robot operations are rising. As of 2025, U.S. companies have reported at least 41 robot-related deaths. Although the involved equipment in this case is a traditional industrial robot, not an AI-driven autonomous robot, the incident has still raised concerns about safety standards in the automation industry.
U.S. media generally use the term "robot attack" to describe the event, although it is actually a mechanical failure. Such descriptions may increase public concerns about robot safety and prompt regulatory authorities to conduct stricter reviews.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1844611463608327/
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