Calls for ban on development of "Terminator" robots 'which can selecttheir own targets to kill'

Terminator: A planet dominated by killer robots was reflected in the Terminator movies

Rex

Countries such as Russia and China are currently believed to be developing combat robots which can make decisions themselves. Calls have been made for a ban on killer "Terminator" robots which can select their own targets to kill.

Countries will vote on whether to consider demands for a global ban on developing the devices at a meeting of the Convention on Conventional Weapons in Geneva on Friday. Fully independent military robots do not yet exist, but countries including the US and the UK already use drones to kill selected targets in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Countries such as Russia and China are currently believed to be developing machines which can make decisions themselves during combat situations.

The call to ban the development of independently functioning killer robots is backed by France, which wants an international agreement to ban their development, Sky News reports.

A ban is also backed by the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, an international coalition of organisations which was launched this year.

A nightmare scenario where killer robots have tried to take over the Earth was made famous by the Terminator films staring Arnold Schwarzenegger.