Kiwibot delivery robot battery fire in Berkeley
On 14 December 2018, a Kiwibot delivery robot idling in Berkeley, California, began smouldering when its battery experienced thermal runaway. A bystander extinguished the flames, and the Berkeley Fire Department secured the scene. Kiwibot suspended its service temporarily, investigated, and attributed the incident to human error in battery replacement. The company introduced new battery management software to prevent recurrence.
- Date it happened
- 2018-12-14
- Organisation involved
- Kiwibot
- Product, system or model
- Kiwibot
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