{"id":"f01582a6-c286-4653-a6a7-2131a2dd738b","slug":"lely-a4-robotic-milker-class-action-2023","kind":"other","headline":"Lely settles A4 robotic-milker class action for about $122M over alleged defects affecting cow health and milk output (2023)","summary":"Kruger et al. v. Lely North America, filed February 2020, alleged that the Astronaut A4 robotic milking system did not deliver the promised milk production or lowest cost of ownership and had defects that adversely affected cow health, milk production, and quality. The US District Court for the District of Minnesota granted final approval of a settlement valued at about $122 million on Sept 1 2023; 400-plus class members could trade an A4 for a newer A5 or take roughly $30,000 to $40,000 cash per robot.","occurredAt":"2023-09-01T12:00:00.000Z","reviewStatus":"reviewed","modelId":"b857d2a4-9a37-450c-9105-b5b0175a5ffc","deploymentId":null,"companyId":"b3ee6739-b194-4647-b060-d40ffa7ad9cd","dataCenterId":null,"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"none","reviewNote":null,"severity":"serious","rootCauseCategory":"mechanical_failure","rootCauseDetail":"Alleged product defects in the A4 robotic milker affecting reliability, cow health, and milk production/quality; resolved via ~$122M class-action settlement.","affectedUnitsCount":null,"affectedUnitsBasis":null,"remediationStatus":"resolved","regulatoryAction":"none","regulatoryBody":null,"propertyDamageEstimateUsd":null,"damageEstimateBasis":null,"bodilyInjurySeverity":null,"fatalityCount":0,"lossCostClass":null,"sourceQualityTier":null,"oshaRecordable":null,"oshaCaseNumber":null,"rootCauseDisclosed":null,"publicDisclosureDate":null,"insuranceClaimPublic":null,"formFactor":null,"latitude":null,"longitude":null,"autonomyClass":null,"legalOutcomeClass":"unknown","createdAt":"2026-06-24T03:48:39.905Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-14T21:53:38.350Z","model":{"id":"b857d2a4-9a37-450c-9105-b5b0175a5ffc","companyId":"b3ee6739-b194-4647-b060-d40ffa7ad9cd","modelName":"Astronaut (A5)","slug":"lely-astronaut","description":"Lely's Astronaut is the market-leading automatic milking system: a cow-driven voluntary milking robot that uses lasers and sensors to attach to each cow, with the Horizon software tracking per-cow health, yield, and behavior. 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Lely North America, filed February 2020, alleged that the Astronaut A4 robotic milking system did not deliver the promised milk production or lowest cost of ownership and had defects that adversely affected cow health, milk production, and quality. The US District Court for the District of Minnesota granted final approval of a settlement valued at about $122 million on Sept 1 2023; 400-plus class members could trade an A4 for a newer A5 or take roughly $30,000 to $40,000 cash per robot.","identifier":"f01582a6-c286-4653-a6a7-2131a2dd738b","datePublished":"2023-09-01T12:00:00.000Z","articleSection":"other","publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"},"author":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"verified","maturity_stage":null,"lifecycle_state":null,"architectural_position":{"cohort":null,"sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":2,"primary_source_types":[]}}}