Safety Concerns

Figure AI, a humanoid robot developer valued at $3.9 billion, is facing a lawsuit from its former head of product safety. The engineer alleges wrongful termination after warning executives about the potential for their robots to cause serious harm, including fracturing a human skull. He claims his safety concerns were ignored and a safety roadmap presented to investors was altered after funding was secured, potentially constituting fraud. The lawsuit seeks economic, compensatory, and punitive damages. The humanoid robot market is projected to reach $5 trillion by 2050.

Xiaomi’s Hong Kong-listed shares fell sharply after a fatal SU7 electric car crash in Chengdu, sparking renewed safety concerns. Social media images showed a burning SU7, with bystanders reportedly unable to open the doors. Police report the driver, who died, may have been under the influence of alcohol and collided with another vehicle. The incident raises questions about electronic door handles in EVs, which rely on electrical power and may fail in emergencies, amid increasing regulatory scrutiny of the feature. This follows a previous fatal SU7 crash and potential ban on electronic door handles from Chinese regulators.