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Unitree’s Superman Robot Hits 12.66 m/s Record, Crashes

8/22/2026

30 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Unitree Robotics said its Superman robot ran 12.66 m/s, surpassing Usain Bolt’s 12.42 m/s record.
The robot also jumped 2 metres from a standstill, exceeding the human record of 1.90 m.
During the demonstration the robot lost control and crashed into an electrical box.
Founder Wang Xingxing warned of challenges after the incident.
Unitree shares fell 18.7% on Thursday.

History

Historical Context

Founded in 1958 after Sputnik, DARPA has repeatedly used prize competitions to push autonomy, from the 2005 XG dynamic-spectrum program to the 2014-2016 Cyber Grand Challenge. Those contests created a legacy of autonomous-vehicle trials that today still see safety failures, prompting investors to demand stricter protocols and more robust testing.

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Story summary

Unitree Robotics said its Superman robot ran 12.66 m/s, surpassing Usain Bolt’s 12.42 m/s record.
The robot also jumped 2 metres from a standstill, exceeding the human record of 1.90 m.
During the demonstration the robot lost control and crashed into an electrical box.
Founder Wang Xingxing warned of challenges after the incident.
Unitree shares fell 18.7% on Thursday.

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