An unbelievable incident occurred at Tesla’s Giga Texas factory in Austin, Texas, a software engineer was reportedly attacked by a malfunctioning robot, causing serious injuries. The robot, designed to move aluminum car parts, unexpectedly activated and pinned the engineer, leaving wounds on his back and arm. The incident, which occurred two years ago, came to light through a 2021 injury report.
As per the report, the engineer was programming software for robots cutting car parts from freshly cast aluminum. Due to maintenance, two robots were disabled, but a third remained active, leading to the unexpected attack. The injured engineer sustained an open wound on his left hand, though it was not classified as severe. Tesla has chosen not to comment on the incident.
While no other robot-related injuries were reported at the Texas factory in 2021 or 2022, there are indications of safety lapses at the facility. Injury reports submitted to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reveal a higher-than-average injury rate at Giga Texas. Nearly one in 21 workers were reported injured last year, surpassing the median injury rate of one in 30 workers in the automotive industry.
Allegations from current and former Tesla workers suggest concerns about the company compromising on construction, maintenance, and operations, potentially putting employees at risk.