--- title: "Startup Sued After Delivery Bot Clobbers 73-Year Old Woman" description: "An Arizona woman is suing Starship Technologies after its delivery robot knocked her onto the pavement, leaving her with numerous injuries." date: "2026-07-26" modified: "2026-07-26" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins" url: "https://futurism.com/robots-and-machines/startup-delivery-robot-starship-technologies-lawsuit" categories: - "Robotics" - "Robots and Machines" --- # Startup Sued After Delivery Bot Clobbers 73-Year Old Woman ![A photo illustration featuring a Starship delivery robot.]() *Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock* With so many [landmark lawsuits]() emerging around artificial intelligence, it can be easy to lose sight of the other high-tech cases shaping the world as we know it. One major suit with important implications just emerged out of Phoenix. The case revolves around a 2023 incident involving a 73-year-old named Trudy Perez and a [delivery robot]() at Arizona State University. The woman — who was working as a parking garage attendant at the time — alleges a delivery robot operated by the company Starship Technologies repeatedly ran into her, throwing her to the ground and clobbering her again while she was down. Now, the woman is proceeding with a civil suit targeting Starship for liability and negligence, local station [*KJZZ* reported](). As if working outdoors in Phoenix at the age of 73 isn't rough enough, a [police report]() from the incident notes Perez suffered a four-inch gash on her arm as a result of the beat-down, in addition to back pain and mobility problems. Per *KJZZ*, she's now seeking compensatory damages related to medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages caused by the altercation. The lawsuit further alleges that, like [similar]() [automated]() [robots](), the experimental Starship unit was being piloted by an off-site employee. Per the filing, this unnamed employee neglected to "exercise control" over the delivery bot throughout the incident, resulting in Perez's injuries. Of course, the company is doing everything it can to soften the blow and limit its liability. As *KJZZ* reports, Starship Technologies has a laundry list of excuses: not only were Perez's injuries caused by her own negligence, but they were pre-existing as well, the company's attorneys claim. With the first court date set for next February, it'll be some time before the jury reaches a verdict. When they do, they could set some major precedent when it comes to holding companies [responsible for]() [mayhem]() caused by their delivery robots — an increasingly important issue as the gadgets spread to more cities across the US. **More on delivery robots:** *[Large Area of Chicago Bans Delivery Robots After Resident Outcry]()* ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()