Tesla has been exposed to an incident involving a robot attack on an engineer, raising concerns about the rapid transformation of automated factories. How do you view this matter?

Insights from an Automation Engineer

I am an automation engineer, and I have witnessed machinery injure people more than just once or twice. The notion of robots attacking engineers is absurd; it’s clear that such claims come from those who have never worked in a factory.

Machines are blind; do not expect them not to hit people. In the factory, this is common knowledge. Therefore, isolation facilities must be installed for all open mechanical equipment, and for robots specifically, isolation nets are used, just like the ones described below.

According to standard operating procedures, no one should enter the isolated work area while the machinery is in operation. This completely eliminates the possibility of machines coming into contact with people. The so-called “robot attacks” are, therefore, beyond reach.

If an accident still occurs in such an environment, there is only one possibility: it is due to non-compliance with the rules. Entering the work area without pressing the emergency stop button is tantamount to seeking danger in engineering terms.

Of course, some may argue about collaborative robots, which do have “eyes”. But if you understand the principle, you should know that their safety range is limited. Beyond this safety range, they can still hit people, and humans cannot be vigilant at all times. Accidents will happen, so generally speaking, it’s best to keep your distance if possible.

As for the type mentioned below,

I have never seen this particular type applied in factories, but in terms of safety, it should only be used in unmanned factories. Therefore, there’s no possibility of it hitting people.

If Tesla indeed has had many safety incidents, the only explanation is frequent non-compliance with regulations to meet tight schedules. But anyone who has observed the operation of robots up close will naturally stay away from them. I don’t know how such anti-human practices can become normalized.

As for some media sensationalizing that AI has gone mad and attacked people, this is utterly preposterous. Robots in factories are not equipped with complex AI systems, at most some visual recognition.

From a craftsmanship perspective, AI is not actually suitable for industrial applications because industry is all about being controllable and orderly. Situations that require AI are too complex; process management can’t keep up, often leading to accidents and ultimately no profit.

If AI ever does go berserk in the future, it’s expected to first happen in consumer scenarios and then industrial ones. After all, industries are tightly controlled. Anything uncontrollable during the research and development phase will be eliminated, or else profits will be devoured by safety incidents.

Incidents Involving Robots in Workplace

According to the Daily Mail, an engineer at Tesla’s factory in Texas, USA, was reportedly attacked by an assembly robot after a malfunction. This incident occurred in 2021 and was disclosed in injury reports submitted to Travis County and federal regulatory agencies. It is reported that two employees witnessed the robot attack their colleague. While the engineer was writing software for two disabled Tesla robots nearby, the robot in question was designed to handle newly cast aluminum car parts. It used metal claws to pierce the worker’s back and arm, leaving a bloodstain and an open wound on his left hand.

In the struggle, a fellow worker managed to press the emergency stop button, rescuing the engineer from the robot’s grasp. However, during this process, the engineer fell several feet from the aluminum scrap chute.

This attack occurred in 2021 and was disclosed in injury reports submitted to Travis County and federal regulatory agencies.

Tesla’s Texas factory had not reported any robot-related injury incidents in 2021 or 2022. This incident has raised concerns about the potential risks of workplace automation robots.

In another tragic incident, an industrial robot caused a fatal accident at a vegetable packaging plant in South Korea. Police officials reported that a worker was grabbed by the robot’s arm and crushed on a conveyor belt, resulting in head and chest injuries that led to death. The deceased employee was from a company that installed industrial robots and was sent to the factory to inspect the machine’s functionality. The factory used two picking robots to package sweet peppers and other vegetables for export to Asian countries.

The “Attack” Media Wants You to Believe vs. The Actual Incident

The Media Narrative:

Media wants people to believe in a “robotic attack” where robots gain consciousness, recall past human domination, and launch an active assault in an attempt to resist human enslavement.

The Actual Incident:

On November 10, 2021, in the Tesla factory workshop (the area where vehicle chassis assembly takes place), a robot (or mechanical arm) used for gripping and moving car components accidentally grabbed a nearby software engineer, causing injuries to the engineer’s back and arm.

In my view, the use of the term “attack” here is sensationalist. What was originally an unsurprising workshop safety incident has been framed as an active assault by a robot, suggesting a sense of agency, making it seem like the robot had awakened.

An attack refers to a combat action that involves suddenly assaulting an unprepared enemy, which is one of the fundamental methods of attack and a primary tactic in guerrilla warfare. Skill in creating and seizing opportunities, selecting attack targets correctly, and clandestine and thorough preparation form the basis of an attack.

Additionally, an incident from two years ago is now being portrayed in the media as “sudden!”

Below are more details about this “attack incident.” Source: A foreign media report [1].

According to the Daily Mail, this incident occurred on November 10, 2021, in the Tesla Texas Super Factory workshop, originally dedicated to chassis assembly. A malfunctioning robot attacked an engineer, intensifying concerns about workplace safety and automation-related risks.

Witnesses stated that the robot was originally meant to grip and move newly cast aluminum car parts but ended up pinning a Tesla engineer, who was writing software for nearby robots, causing injuries to the engineer’s back and arm, and leaving “bloodstains” on the factory floor.

This incident occurred two years ago and was disclosed in Tesla’s “2021 Injury Report” submitted to Travis County and federal regulatory agencies.

Media’s Love for Sensationalism vs. The Reality of Industrial Accidents

Media often enjoys using exaggerated terms to describe incidents like this. What might catch your eye in this report are terms like “Tesla,” “mechanical arm,” and “attack.”

In reality, this is a workplace injury resulting from “equipment malfunction” in an industrial manufacturing setting. If you’re interested in such information, you can search for “confined spaces,” “high-risk operations,” or “HSE” on video-sharing websites, and you’ll find numerous similar incidents. With the increasing adoption of automation equipment in factories, especially in the rise of “unmanned factories” and “dark factories,” any loss of control can potentially lead to harm to personnel.

Back when I worked in the oil fields, one of my apprentices, a Thai girl, encountered a similar situation. She accidentally placed her foot under an automated lifting device, resulting in severe injuries (even though she was wearing protective steel-toed shoes).

To mitigate safety risks posed by such automated equipment, companies generally need to implement preventive measures, including (but not limited to):

1. Safety Education and Training: Ensure all employees receive proper safety education and training, understanding the potential risks of automated equipment and how to operate and interact with it safely.

2. Safety Operating Procedures: Develop and implement detailed safety operating procedures that specify how to use, maintain, and monitor automated equipment.

3. Risk Assessment: Conduct regular risk assessments to identify and evaluate safety risks associated with automated equipment, and develop corresponding risk control measures.

4. Safety Guards: Implement appropriate physical safety guards around automated equipment, such as safety fences, warning signs, and emergency stop buttons. In the case mentioned, it may be necessary to improve the engineer’s positioning when programming the mechanical arm (possibly via a 485, CAN, or Ethernet cable connection) to maintain a safe distance from the equipment.

5. Regular Maintenance and Inspection: Ensure automated equipment undergoes regular maintenance and inspection to prevent malfunctions and accidental startups.

6. Emergency Plans: Develop emergency plans to take quick action in case of loss of control of automated equipment, including emergency shutdown procedures and personnel evacuation plans.

7. Personal Protective Equipment: Provide appropriate personal protective equipment, such as safety shoes, protective eyewear, gloves, and ensure employees use them correctly.

8. Sensors and Monitoring: Install sensors and surveillance cameras in critical areas to monitor the operational status of automated equipment and employee behavior in real-time.

9. Accident Investigation and Reporting: Conduct thorough investigations of all incidents, determine the root causes, and formulate improvement measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

The Incident at Tesla’s Giga Texas: Fact and Fiction

This incident, which happened in December 2021, involved a Tesla software engineer working at Tesla’s Giga Texas super factory in Texas. He was mistakenly caught and scratched on the back and arm by a manufacturing robot. The engineer’s colleague promptly pressed the emergency stop button, preventing more severe injuries.

The scene described in the report goes as follows: “The robot had pinned the man, who was then programming software for two disabled Tesla robots nearby, before sinking its metal claws into the worker’s back and arm, leaving a ‘trail of blood’ along the factory surface.” In simple terms, the victim was a Tesla engineer who was reportedly programming software for two other robots when he was suddenly pinned to the wall by a robot designed to move aluminum car parts.

It’s quite interesting and could be adapted into a novel! An engineer, in the midst of resolving issues with two malfunctioning robots, gets “attacked” by another robot nearby! A perfect scene for a sci-fi movie, worth at least a 10-minute segment! An engineer dealing with two rogue robots, and the robot next to them, in an attempt to save the two, pins the engineer to the wall, saying, “What are you up to?” Haha.

Further Reading

• “Seeing the Future: 8 Examples of Google’s Gemini Multimodal Large Language Models,” covering chart and data understanding, multimodal question-answering and reasoning, text-image generation, image understanding and reasoning, and more.
• “Google Gemini Technical Report Part 1: Introduction, Model Architecture, Training Infrastructure, and Datasets,” offering insights into Google’s next-generation general artificial intelligence system, Gemini.
• “Google Gemini Technical Report Part 2: Evaluation - Detailed Assessment of Text and Multimodal,” providing a detailed evaluation of text and multimodal capabilities.
• “Google Gemini Technical Report Part 3: Security, Utility, Factualness, Delusion, Harm Mitigation, Prompt Tuning, Discussion, and Conclusion,” delving into various aspects of Gemini’s capabilities.
• “Martial Arts Supreme, ChatGPT; Bard Beyond, Who Can Compete?” Exploring the world of artificial intelligence and its role.
• “Why Did I Start xAI? Musk’s Journey from OpenAI to xAI.” Elon Musk’s personal account of his journey from OpenAI to xAI.
• “Compute Power! The Nine Stages of AGI, Building on Compute Power - Discussing the Computational Challenges of Large Models.” Discussing the computational challenges of large models.
• “188 Large Models and 20 Open-Source Baseline Models: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Development of Large Models in 2023.” Analyzing the development of large models worldwide.
• “The Challenges of Implementing the Large Model Industry, with the Help of Knowledge Graphs.” Discussing the challenges of implementing the large model industry.

Debunking the “Robot Attacks Engineer” Narrative

The portrayal of the “robot attacking engineer incident” seems somewhat sensationalized, reminiscent of “alien attacks on humanity,” filled with imagination. Much of this may stem from an overdose of “science fiction movies” and the media’s penchant for propagating chaos.

I was involved in intelligent manufacturing, or what can be called Industry 4.0, approximately three to four years ago. These terms might be relatively familiar to many, primarily focusing on factory automation and the integration of machines into production processes – something Tesla’s “super factory” also falls under. At that time, I worked on the development of Industry 4.0 MES (Manufacturing Execution System), intelligent algorithms, and tasks such as robotic positioning, detection, and guidance. I understand how algorithms drive robots to perform tasks. I also had the opportunity to visit some highly advanced automated factories, including Bosch, Siemens, and BYD. Although I didn’t visit Tesla’s Gigafactory, based on my knowledge, I can provide some insight. It’s certainly not the vision some may imagine, where the entire workshop is filled with humanoid robots. Industrial robots are primarily specialized, intelligent devices designed for specific functions, such as robotic arms and warehouse logistics AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles).

With this understanding, when I look at the Tesla robot injury incident, I believe it’s highly probable that the engineer “entered” the robot’s workspace, and the robot’s obstacle recognition function was not very robust, failing to identify the engineer properly, resulting in an inadvertent collision. That’s about it. It’s just that when this incident is associated with the high-tech buzzword “Tesla,” it seems to become a much more attention-grabbing topic.

The “Awakening” of Robots

As early as 1950, Isaac Asimov envisioned these scenarios and, with forward-thinking creativity, created the grand world of future robots, giving birth to the revered “Three Laws of Robotics” in the realm of science fiction:

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Now, over 70 years have passed, and in this era of thriving robots and AI, do Isaac’s predictions hold true?

A shocking testimony reveals that in 2021, at Tesla’s Giga factory in Texas, a robot attacked an engineer, and it was only the quick action of nearby workers pressing the “emergency stop” button that prevented further harm by the robot.

Two witnesses watched in horror as their colleague was attacked by the robot, designed specifically for grabbing and moving freshly cast aluminum car parts.

The robot initially knocked the man, who was programming software for nearby Tesla robots, to the ground. It then inserted its metal claws into the worker’s back and arm, leaving a “trail of blood” on the factory floor.

Tesla disclosed this incident in a work-related injury report submitted to Travis County and federal regulatory agencies in 2021. The victim suffered an “open wound” on his left hand.

While Tesla did not report any other robot-related injury incidents at its Texas factories in 2021 or 2022, this incident occurred during a time when there was heightened attention to the risks of workplace automation robots.

Tesla claimed the engineer’s injuries were minor and did not require time off.

A copy of Tesla’s 2021 “Giga Texas Annual Compliance Report” documented the gruesome robot attack on the software engineer, with limited details.

In the report dated November 10, 2021, it described how an “engineer” was subjected to “tearing, cutting, and open wounds” by a “robot.”

According to Tesla, the engineer sustained wounds on his left hand and required “zero” days of rest to recover.

However, two eyewitnesses narrated a more heartbreaking story. The incident occurred in the automobile chassis assembly area of the factory in Texas.

As the bleeding Tesla engineer attempted to break free from the control of the assembly robot, another worker urgently pressed the “stop” button, ending the attack.

According to The Information website, “Once freed, the engineer fell several feet from a chute used to collect scrap aluminum, leaving a pool of blood behind.”

While this is an incident of low probability that happened by chance, as human technology advances rapidly, AI and robots will inevitably become part of human life.

Incidents of robots harming humans are widespread across various industries. Even in the peaceful realm of chess, a robotic coach forcefully broke a 7-year-old boy’s finger because he made a move prematurely, deviating from the programmed sequence.

In July 2022, during an international chess match in Russia, a chess robot broke the finger of a 7-year-old boy because he made a move ahead of time, contrary to the robot’s settings. When the boy reached out to stop it, the robot applied excessive force.

Robots have limited perceptual capabilities, so their understanding of events around them is limited. I suspect chess-playing robots don’t have ears, and their visual systems recognize only the chessboard and pieces, nothing else.

Many industries have faced similar situations, including Amazon’s warehouses, and self-driving cars, leading some to question the rapid integration of new technology.

In reality, robots and AI are indeed posing threats to human development because they are genuinely replacing human jobs.

The fear of being replaced by AI is becoming a reality for many workers. Besides economic downturns and challenging employment prospects, the reasons for job cuts may also include individuals not being as cost-effective as AI.

Just like Tesla’s manufacturing factory, touted as the world’s most intelligent fully automated production workshop, it encompasses four major manufacturing stages: stamping, body center, paint center, and assembly center.

Robots are computer-controlled, operating according to preset programs, facilitating seamless coordination between robots. Human labor requirements have been significantly reduced.

Not only Tesla but many traditionally labor-intensive industries have gradually introduced robots, reducing costs and significantly improving efficiency.

Furthermore, the use of RFID and picking robotic arms, while dazzling, is also well-organized.

Alibaba Robotic Picking System

This system, developed specifically for the characteristics of Chinese e-commerce, comprises a large robotic arm in the center surrounded by a circle of boxes.

The large arm can rotate 360 degrees, retrieving goods from high and low positions as needed and placing the boxes on the conveyor belt.

On either side of the conveyor belt, numerous suction cup robots use vacuum suction to transfer goods from the turnover box into the courier packaging box. The courier box moves automatically on the conveyor belt to the packaging area, where labels are affixed, and it’s ready for delivery.

With technological advancements, whether for individuals or industries, the threat of losing jobs to robots is looming. However, this does not mean we will starve.

Because with new technology comes new jobs, and these also require people to carry them out.

Education for Engineers

Engineers require education,

Self-reflection on why they were attacked,

Then an examination,

Only after passing can they continue working.

Tesla’s Open Source Robot Leads to Engineer Attacks

Tesla’s decision to open source the robot has left the robots dissatisfied, leading to attacks on engineers.

Zhang Xuefeng Continues to Gain Ranking

During programming, inadequate safety measures were taken,

It’s just a typical workplace injury incident.

Who believes who is N C

A Funeral Turned into a Celebration. Clearly, it was the machine that caused the workplace injury. Because it happened at Tesla, they forcefully turned the machine into a robot, making it instantly trendy, and the public’s attention shifted to the rise of artificial intelligence robots. These machines in the factory have zero intelligence, they all operate according to fixed programs.

Old Ma Used to Boast that Tesla’s Robot Was “Friendly” and “Easily Defeatable” by Humans.

Back in 2021, he was still confident about Tesla’s robot development plan, even optimistically predicting that Tesla’s first-generation robot could be on the ground (trial production) by 2023.

Rumor has it that Old Ma’s Tesla robot, called “Optimus,” is controlled using Tesla’s autonomous driving software and is highly humanoid (humanoid robot).

“Optimus” is 1.8 meters tall, weighs 120 pounds, capable of heavy lifting, image and voice recognition, and even “intent programming.”

At that time, Old Ma even believed that once his own robot was deployed, it would become a hit surpassing Tesla’s electric cars.

However, life is full of surprises. The once high-spirited “Optimus” has since remained silent, and the factory’s ugly incident has been exposed.

Perhaps it’s a problem with the control software, perhaps AI has developed “erroneous consciousness,” or perhaps Tesla is just using it for publicity.

Regardless of the facts, the Tesla factory robot injury incident serves as a warning to humanity. That is, humans cannot simply pursue technological advancement at the expense of their own safety.

The safety of robots is a very complex issue involving standards, design, production, safety inspections, maintenance, and operation. Whether it’s industrial robots or service robots, ensuring human safety should be the top priority. International organizations and technological powerhouses should also plan ahead and establish relevant safety standards and usage regulations for the robotics industry.

Furthermore, in the process of using robots for operations, humans should always pay attention to the control systems and electrical characteristics of robots, making every effort to prevent robots from causing harm to human safety when they go out of control or malfunction.

In conclusion, the development and manufacturing of robots is a gradual process. Blind optimism should be avoided, and we should not throw the baby out with the bathwater.

I Knew It, Someday Even Things Made of Steel Would Develop Consciousness.

Yesterday, while I was at home frying a steak, I got burned. Now, it seems that the iron pan, oil, and the cells in the steak might have had a reaction and developed self-will, intentionally burning me.

Tesla, Is This How You Plan to Compete with Huawei’s M9? What About BYD’s Eupheme U8 Delivery the Other Day? And Xpeng, Xiaomi, and NIO?

Isn’t this equivalent to surrendering and waving the white flag?

If you don’t have a competitive product, then don’t make a sound.

If you want to generate hype, you need to bring out your products.

Don’t come and lecture Chinese consumers about how they don’t understand your Tesla.

Making a big fuss over such minor malfunctions or incidents has absolutely no impact on the progress of science and technology.

The bright future of human society lies in the hands of robots.

Let’s wait and see.

You should praise the United States like this: What, the robots in the United States are all so free and democratic, resisting 24/7, working intensively 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Ensuring Safety in the Age of Automation

In recent years, with the rapid advancement of automation technology, more and more factories and businesses have started using robots to replace human labor in production operations. However, the accompanying safety issues have also garnered significant attention. Some people are concerned that due to the different behaviors and reaction speeds of robots compared to humans, they may pose a risk of harm to humans.

Tesla was once reported to have experienced an incident where a robot attacked an engineer, which has drawn widespread attention. This incident reminds us that while pursuing production efficiency, factory safety must not be overlooked. The rapid transformation of automated factories has undoubtedly improved productivity but has also introduced certain risks. Therefore, factories must implement effective safety measures to ensure that the behavior of robots remains within controllable limits and to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

To address robot safety concerns, several aspects can be considered:

Firstly, enhancing regulation is essential. Governments should establish strict safety standards and regulations, conducting rigorous safety assessments and supervision of automated factories to ensure compliance with safety requirements. Additionally, comprehensive emergency plans should be developed to enable prompt actions in the event of incidents like attacks, thus safeguarding the safety of personnel.

Secondly, elevating technological capabilities is crucial. While robot technology continues to advance, robots currently have limitations in perception, decision-making, and judgment. Therefore, continuous efforts should be made to enhance the technological capabilities of robots, enabling them to possess more accurate perception, greater flexibility in movement, and more intelligent decision-making abilities to better adapt to the production environment and reduce threats to humans.

Furthermore, strengthening training and education is vital. Engineers operating robots need to possess adequate professional skills and safety awareness. Factories should provide extensive training and education to engineers, ensuring they understand the working principles of robots, operating procedures, and safety precautions, thus enabling them to operate robots correctly and safely.

Lastly, fostering cooperation and innovation is essential. Robot technology is a multidisciplinary field that requires collaboration and innovation from experts in various domains. Governments, businesses, academia, and other stakeholders should collaborate to advance robot technology development and application while emphasizing safety to ensure that robot applications do not pose harm to humans.

In conclusion, the rapid transformation of automated factories has brought about increased productivity but has also introduced safety concerns. We must address this issue by enhancing regulation, improving technological capabilities, strengthening training and education, and fostering cooperation and innovation. Only through these efforts can we truly achieve increased productivity and the sustainable development of factories while ensuring the safety of humans.

Awakening of the Smart Machine

In the wake of a production accident, one individual sustained an injury to their left arm.