--- title: "Tesla Worker Knocked Unconscious by Robot, Lawsuit Claims" description: "A robotics technician is suing Tesla, alleging he was struck and knocked unconscious by a robotic arm at the company's Fremont plant." date: "2025-09-25" modified: "2025-09-25" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/future-society/tesla-worker-knocked-unconscious-robot" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Electric Vehicles" - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" --- # Tesla Worker Knocked Unconscious by Robot, Lawsuit Claims ![A robotics technician is suing Tesla, alleging he was struck and knocked unconscious by a robotic arm at the company's Fremont plant.]() *Patrick Tehan/MediaNews Group/Bay Area News via Getty Images* A robotics technician is suing Tesla, alleging he was struck and knocked unconscious by an "approximately 8,000-pound counterbalance weight" attached to a robotic arm at the company's plant in Fremont, California. According to a civil complaint [obtained by *The Independent*](), engineer Peter Hinterdobler was helping a colleague remove the robot's motor during a planned disassembly on July 22, 2023. But then, the "robot's arm suddenly and without warning released with great force," causing significant injuries. Now, Hinterdobler is suing the Elon Musk-led company and robotics manufacturer FANUC, which built the robotic arm, after struggling to pay medical expenses. In total, he's seeking $51 million in damages, including $20 million for "pain, suffering, and inconvenience" and $10 million for "emotional distress," according to *The Independent*. Hinterdobler is accusing Tesla of "failing to ensure that the robot was safely de-energized, secured, and stable before allowing \[him\] to assist with the disassembly process." The lawsuit is yet another example of the EV maker's [poor track record]() when it comes to working conditions, particularly concerning its Fremont plant. Last month, a lawsuit filed by the factory's former head of security [alleged]() that his team "routinely" confiscated drugs and guns onsite and investigated "acts of sexual deviance." Tesla has also been accused of [allowing racism to run rampant]() at the factory. Earlier this year, Tesla was fined for [violating the state's workplace heat protection rules](), putting workers' health at risk. Hinterdobler's lawsuit also follows a string of concerning injuries that have taken place at Tesla's facilities. For instance, in 2021, a worker [alleged he was clawed]() by a robot at the company's Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, leaving a "trail of blood" on the factory floor. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health also slapped the carmaker with four safety violations in 2023 after an employee at the Fremont factory was seriously injured when she got [pinned inside a Model Y vehicle](). According to a subsequent investigation, Tesla [failed to ensure]() that power was cut to a conveyor belt while workers were performing quality inspections. In April 2018, a worker at the same plant was [hospitalized with a broken jaw]() after being hit by a piece of equipment that moves vehicles along the assembly lines. And a man [collapsed and died]() while working on a Fremont powertrain line in 2022 — a mere month after a Tesla employee [shot and killed a coworker]() in the factory's parking lot. In short, Hinterdobler's complaint shouldn't come as much of a surprise, given the EV maker's track record. Tesla and FANUC have yet to respond to the engineer's allegations. **More on the factory:** [*Former Cop Says He Routinely Confiscated Guns, Fentanyl and Cocaine at Tesla Factory*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()