A multi-billion-dollar robotics start-up left a San Francisco Airbnb in shambles after testing a prototype bot inside, according to a lawsuit.
The suit, filed in San Francisco County Superior Court, seeks more than $12,000 in damages, alleging that the Bot Company start-up booked the owner’s rental home under “false pretenses” for a two-week stay in April.
The company, reportedly valued last year at $2 billion, conducted “unauthorized commercial R&D activity including robotic prototype testing and filming for commercial purposes,” the suit claims.
“30+ individuals accessed the property during the rental period without authorization,” it continues. “Defendant caused property damage including paint damage, floor damage, damage to furniture and appliances, missing personal property, and unauthorized entry into a locked closet.”
The Independent has contacted The Bot Company, also known as Botco, for comment.
Homeowner Sean Donovan told SFGate that the people who made the booking claimed to be remote workers from Thailand.
“Hosts are pretty careful about zero,” he said, adding, “everyone has to start somewhere.”
Donovan told the outlet he knew something was awry when he visited the four-bedroom home in the Portola neighborhood to collect the guests’ trash and saw bundles of wires running into the house, where a man allegedly sat typing on a laptop next to a machine Donovan likened to the cyborgs from Star Trek.
“We had a ton of work to do when we got back,” he added in his interview with SFGate. “Way more than we’ve ever had before.”
Donovan alleges his dishwasher, refrigerator and washing machine were all scratched, while his dishwasher racks were bent and removed.
The homeowner argues the start-up ignored the readily available opportunities to rent the home for commercial filming or workplace events, for which he typically charges between $200 and $300 per hour.
The Bot Company aims to build robots that assist with household tasks.
The firm is led by Kyle Vogt, who founded Cruise, the robotaxi company that once rivaled Waymo until a string of issues in San Francisco caused the company to temporarily lose its ability to operate in California.
At least 12 other Airbnb hosts have left negative reviews about renters who were connected to Donovan’s booking, according to an analysis from The San Francisco Standard.
