Starship robot knocks over Arizona State University employee

Occurred: September 2023

A Starship delivery robot knocked over and injured an employee at Arizona State University, raising concerns about the safety and operational protocols of autonomous delivery vehicles.

What happened

The event occurred when a university parking employee reported that after waiting for the robot to pass, she attempted to cross behind it. The unmanned vehicle unexpectedly reversed, striking her and knocking her to the ground. 

The police report noted that video footage corroborated her account, showing the robot reversing into her without any apparent obstruction in its path. 

After the initial impact, the robot moved forward briefly before reversing again towards the employee, who was still on the ground, exacerbating the situation.

The incident resulted in physical injury to the employee, who complained of lower back pain and a 4-inch cut on her arm.

Following the incident, a Starship representative contacted the injured employee to offer insurance information and "promo codes" - the latter being ridiculed as inappropriate and inadequate by commentators.

Why it happened

The exact cause of the incident is unclear, but it appears to be due to a malfunction or flaw in the robot's navigation and safety systems. 

Starship Technologies claimed the robot collided with the person "at an extremely low speed after sensing an approaching vehicle". 

However, police reports noted that there were no other vehicles or obstacles present when the robot reversed into the employee.

What it means

The incident highlighted the challenges faced by companies deploying autonomous delivery robots in public spaces, particularly regarding their interactions with pedestrians.

It also raised questions about Starship's accountability for the actions of its robots. 

Delivery robot

A delivery robot is an autonomous robot that provides "last mile" delivery services. An operator may monitor and take control of the robot remotely in certain situations that the robot cannot resolve by itself such as when it is stuck in an obstacle.

Source: Wikipedia 🔗

System 🤖

Operator: Arizona State University users
Developer: Starship Technologies
Country: USA
Sector: Education; Transport/logistics
Purpose: Deliver groceries
Technology: Robotics; Machine learning; Neural networks
Issue: Accountability; Safety