5. A study of four sectors 43 Focus on the future Insight: Implications for Cobots are very likely to have increasing and swift insurance adoption across the retail sector as the economics 1. As a consequence of increased adoption of job replacement, particularly in back-office and high-value machines, the property risk operations, is fairly straightforward. In warehouses, profile will increase. AGVs are being replaced by more sophisticated 2. Interactions with cobots create potential devices that can adapt to hazards, other devices hazards for both employees and customers and minimise risks to human operators. In the short (e.g. being struck by an object carried by a term, the major constraint is likely to be developing cobot or by the cobot itself could cause policies and procedures to ensure health and safety bodily injury) and could result in expensive concerns are met. litigations. 3. The risk profile of employer’s liability and The opportunities are also clear in more face-to- public liability could change as liability could face environments. Cobots offer the potential for be pushed back onto the robot product 24-hour opening both in retail and also in manufacturer/designer. warehouses where they can run ‘lights out’ 4. There will be opportunities for the provision operations. There are however, significant technical of ancillary services around warehouse and challenges in robot-human interaction, as shop floors layout and design based on risk Interviewee #8 pointed out that robots misidentify reduction. things and can introduce hazards. The challenge is to make the interaction accurate, but also engaging and informative so that the customer will enjoy a safe experience. Taking control: robots and risk