A delivery robot attempting to cross a street in Tallinn, Estonia, caused a bus driver to brake suddenly, leaving nine passengers injured.
The red-light crossing may have stemmed from a malfunctioning light sensor or interference from a bright billboard, the device's developer said.
Here's what to know
The robot belonged to Bolt and was developed by Starship Technologies, according to Cronista. The incident triggered an investigation into who was responsible.
Passengers injured after collision between bus and delivery robot in Tallinn #Estonia https://t.co/VMm672M9PP
— ERR News (@errnews) October 29, 2026
The report did not specify the severity of the passengers' injuries. Footage from a camera aboard the bus showed the collision and the robot being pushed across the roadway.
Accounts of the aftermath differed between Starship and the city transport company. The transport company said the device had departed before officers arrived, a departure that a spokesperson warned could have legal consequences.
More background
A glowing advertisement behind the traffic signals and low visibility were among the possible obstacles to the robot recognizing the light correctly. According to Cronista, that explanation came from Pepe Aaviksoo, Starship Technologies' chief operating officer.
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Aaviksoo said the lack of approaching vehicles may have influenced the decision to cross. He also described a problem with the robot's viewing angle: The pedestrian and vehicle signals appeared aligned, making them harder to tell apart.
The account did not identify the robot's artificial intelligence architecture or provide measurements of its energy use.
What's being done?
The report did not specify a repair timeline or describe any completed technical changes. Starship had identified a faulty light sensor, and correcting it was a step Aaviksoo said the company intended to take, Cronista reported.
The circumstances warranted investigation by authorities, said Andrei Novikov, a member of the city transport company's management team.
A delay and a request for assistance were part of Aaviksoo's rebuttal to the suggestion that the robot immediately fled. He said it remained at the scene for roughly 10 minutes before requesting assistance from its support team to clear it from the road.
"There are many lessons to learn, but exceptional situations do happen," Aaviksoo concluded.
Where can I learn more?
The Tallinn incident adds to safety concerns about robots and autonomous vehicles in everyday settings. These stories describe robotaxi collisions, apparent school-zone speeding, testing backlash, unexpected robot behavior, and unsafe driving during a Tesla test.
• In Texas, a Tesla robotaxi stopped for bollards before driving into them anyway.
• Videos showed Tesla robotaxis appearing to speed in school zones, triggering federal review.
• In London, robotaxi tests drew backlash from drivers concerned about machines working around the clock.
• In Russia, store clerks scrambled after a man shoved a humanoid robot that started kickboxing.
• In Belgium, Tesla's Full Self-Driving system attempted illegal cyclist passes and exceeded speed limits during testing.
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