Starship robot hits car at stoplight, causes USD 2,600 damage

A Starship robot collided with a car at a stoplight in Frisco, Texas, causing damage estimated at USD 2,600 and igniting concerns about delivery robot accountability and liability. The car driver, Jisuk Mok, initially thought the noise was from an animal but later discovered it was a robot had hit her vehicle. Following the accident, Mok faced challenges in reporting the incident, as there was no contact information on the robot. After contacting her insurance company, she was informed that she would need to prove the robot was at fault to avoid paying her deductible. Starship Technologies only agreed to cover the repair costs after the media had contacted them. It transpired the company had video footage of the incident but had not shared it with Mok. The incident highlighted ongoing concerns about the accountability and safety of autonomous delivery robots, particularly in urban environments where interactions with vehicles can lead to confusion over liability and reporting procedures. System 🤖 Starship Operator: Developer: Starship Technologies Country: U SA Sector: Transport/logistics Purpose: Deliver groceries Technology: Robotics; Machine learning Issue: Accountability; Safety; Liability; Transpare ncy

Date it happened

2020-09-01

Product, system or model

Starship robot

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