Robot kills man at Volkswagen plant in Germany

Volkswagen spokesperson says initial conclusions indicate human error was to blame rather than a problem with robot

A robot killed a 22-year-old worker at a Volkswagen plant in Germany, the automobile company said on Thursday.

The worker was helping a team put together the robot that grabs and configures auto parts when the machine grabbed and pushed him against a metal plate, the Associated Press reported.

The man later succumbed to his injuries. The automaker did not reveal the worker's name.

A spokesperson for the company, Heiko Hillwig, said initial investigations suggest human error was to blame for the incident.

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"Initial conclusions indicate that human error was to blame, rather than a problem with the robot, which can be programmed to perform various tasks in the assembly process," the spokesperson said.

"The robot normally operates within a confined area at the plant, grabbing auto parts and manipulating them," he added.

However, Hillwig refused to delve into further details claiming investigations were on going.

Meanwhile, a German news agency has reported that prosecutors have started considering filing the lawsuit against the perpetrators, if any.

This article originally appeared on Associated Press.