In a spine-tingling incident that unfolded two years ago on the bustling floor of Tesla’s factory in Austin, Texas, a Tesla software engineer narrowly escaped a life-threatening encounter with a malfunctioning robot. The rogue machine, designed to handle aluminum car parts, unleashed its mechanical claws upon the unsuspecting engineer, leaving a trail of blood in its wake.
**A Mechanical Nightmare Unleashed**
Eyewitness accounts, disclosed last month to The Information, paint a vivid picture of the harrowing encounter. The robot, typically tasked with maneuvering aluminum car components, inexplicably went haywire, pinning the engineer and puncturing his back and arm with its metal appendages. The grisly aftermath resembled a scene from a sci-fi thriller, with the factory floor bearing witness to this terrifying showdown.
The engineer was in the midst of programming software that controlled robots responsible for extracting car parts from freshly cast aluminum molds. While two of the robots were deliberately disabled for maintenance, a critical oversight led to the third robot’s unintended activation, precipitating the shocking incident that transpired two years ago. The alarming revelation came to light when The Information obtained a detailed injury report submitted to federal authorities and health officials in Travis County.
According to the injury report, the engineer sustained a “laceration, cut, or open wound” on his left hand, although it seems this injury was not severe enough to necessitate time off from work. Tesla, when approached for comments, remained silent on the matter.
**Safety Concerns at the Heart of Giga Texas Factory**
Allegations of worker safety issues have cast a long shadow over Tesla’s Austin plant. The Information has received reports from both current and former Tesla employees, indicating that the company has been cutting corners when it comes to construction, maintenance, and operational safety, thereby placing its workforce at risk.
Among the startling revelations are instances where heavy machinery, including cranes, steel beams, and air conditioning ducts, have come perilously close to workers on the car production lines. The Information’s investigations also uncovered cases of workers falling ill due to exposure to toxic substances like ammonia. In one instance, an employee was immobilized for over four months after their ankle got trapped under a moving cart. Another worker missed 85 days of work after being struck in the head by a metal object.
Shockingly, forklifts reportedly collided with workers on the assembly floor, painting a grim picture of lax safety standards. Perhaps the most hair-raising incident occurred around New Year’s 2023 when water was mistakenly submerged in molten aluminum used in the castings area, leading to a thunderous explosion akin to a “sonic boom.” The blast sent a fiery ball into the air, plunging the workforce into panic. Unfortunately, exact injury figures remain elusive as they were not disclosed in documents submitted to Texas safety inspectors.
**Tesla’s Ambitious Expansion Plans**
Tesla’s journey in Texas has been marked by its ambitions to establish a sprawling 10 million-square-foot facility capable of producing 20 million cars annually by 2030. Construction at the Giga Texas factory is still ongoing, with Tesla aiming to provide employment to 60,000 people once completed. The company anticipates spending up to $10 billion to finish the plant, a testament to its relentless pursuit of innovation and expansion.
As the electric car giant continues to push boundaries, the haunting incident involving the malfunctioning robot serves as a stark reminder of the challenges and sacrifices faced by those on the frontlines of innovation.
