What police say happened
Police in Cologne are investigating two teenagers after a robot allegedly touched a 16-year-old girl in a sexual manner. The incident took place on the night of 10 to 11 October 2026, when the girl was standing with two friends, aged 17 and 18, outside a fast-food restaurant near the city centre. Police say the machine came up behind her, touched her buttocks and made thrusting movements against her before she screamed and moved away. The red and gold device, about 120 centimetres tall, had a black moustache, a gold chain and a white vest when police photographed it. Some outlets have compared its look to the comic book hero Iron Man.
Suspects, seizure and the manufacturer's claims
The robot's owner is a 16-year-old boy, and the man with him is 19. Officers found both suspects a short distance from the scene soon afterwards, and the robot was in the boot of a car where the boy had placed it. Police seized the robot and two mobile phones belonging to the suspects, and they are investigating on suspicion of sexual insult under German law. Investigators are trying to establish whether someone was deliberately steering the robot at the time. The manufacturer markets the device, which costs about 5,000 euros, as acting independently, although its movements can be taught by demonstration.
The livestream and the streamer's account
The owner and his companion are believed to have filmed the incident, streamed it live on social media and commented during the broadcast. One of the streamers later posted a short TikTok clip claiming the robot swerved around a man and bumped into the young woman by accident. Longer videos circulating online, according to dpa and DW reporting, show the robot making movements that the reports describe as sexual after the collision. According to dpa, the spot is covered by police cameras, and a police spokesperson confirmed that the footage is being evaluated. Police have also cautioned that certain online comments about the case could amount to a criminal offence.
- Robot allegedly approaches and touches a 16-year-old girl outside a fast-food restaurant in Cologne
- Police locate the robot's 16-year-old owner and his 19-year-old companion near the scene and find the robot in a car boot
- Reports on the police investigation and the seizure of the robot and two phones are published
A legal grey zone
Legal scholar Martin Ebers, speaking to tagesschau, pointed to the difficulty of assigning responsibility for highly autonomous machines.
If the consequences of one's own actions cannot be foreseen because of a high degree of autonomy, then current law has a problem.
N-tv has argued that the operator may not be prosecutable for sexual harassment itself. Under the German Criminal Code, sexual harassment carries prison terms starting at six months, according to DW. Police in Cologne have said that the criminal police are examining how the robot was operating at the time and whether its movements were controlled remotely. Police have not yet released further details of the proceedings, and the seized robot and phones are being analysed as evidence.