American factory worker Robert Williams became the first human to be killed by a robot on this day in 1979 — man crushed by a robot’s mechanical arm at the Ford plant in Flat Rock

January 25, 2026

, By Tom’s Hardware

American factory worker Robert Williams became the first human to be killed by a robot on this day in 1979 — man crushed by a robot’s mechanical arm at the Ford plant in Flat Rock

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Though killer robots are a favorite subject in science fiction, it is a shocking tragedy when humans are killed by robots in the real-world. Today marks the anniversary of what is widely regarded as the first case of a death of a human caused by a robot. On this day in 1979, Ford Motor Company factory worker Robert Williams was crushed, and killed instantly by a robotic arm, while doing his job.

Williams was just 25 years old when he became the first human casualty of the robotic advance into factory…

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American factory worker Robert Williams became the first human to be killed by a robot on this day in 1979 — man crushed by a robot’s mechanical arm at the Ford plant in Flat Rock

January 25, 2026

, Published By Tom’s Hardware

American factory worker Robert Williams became the first human to be killed by a robot on this day in 1979 — man crushed by a robot’s mechanical arm at the Ford plant in Flat Rock

Though killer robots are a favorite subject in science fiction, it is a shocking tragedy when humans are killed by robots in the real-world. Today marks the anniversary of what is widely regarded as the first case of a death of a human caused by a robot. On this day in 1979, Ford Motor Company factory worker Robert Williams was crushed, and killed instantly by a robotic arm, while doing his job.

Williams was just 25 years old when he became the first human casualty of the robotic advance into factory…

Disclaimer

We strive to uphold the highest ethical standards in all of our reporting and coverage. We StartupNews.fyi want to be transparent with our readers about any potential conflicts of interest that may arise in our work. It’s possible that some of the investors we feature may have connections to other businesses, including competitors or companies we write about. However, we want to assure our readers that this will not have any impact on the integrity or impartiality of our reporting. We are committed to delivering accurate, unbiased news and information to our audience, and we will continue to uphold our ethics and principles in all of our work. Thank you for your trust and support.

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Previous News

The Android ‘NexPhone’: Linux on Demand, Dual-Boots Into Windows 11 – and Transforms Into a Workstation

Next News

Apple Watch Can Enhance the Detection of Heart Arrhythmias, Says Research

Tom’s Hardware

More like this

Popular

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