Robot kills worker at VW plant

A spokesman for VW, Heiko Hillwig, has said that initial conclusions indicate that human error was to blame, rather than a technical problem with the robot, which normally operates within a confined area, grabbing and manipulating parts.

It has been reported that the contractor was standing inside the safety cage when the accident occurred. It is believed that a second man outside the cage was unhurt.

The robot was not one of the new generation of lightweight collaborative robots that work side-by-side with workers on the production line without safety cages.

An investigation is underway.