How should teams respond to a partial or non-functional component during a match?

• A. Prioritize safety, inform the coach, and perform safe remediation or substitution if permitted.
• B. Ignore the issue and continue.
• C. Immediately replace the robot with a spare.
• D. Power down the entire system.

Answer: (A)

When a component is only partially working or not functioning, safety comes first. The team should stop and clearly communicate the issue to the coach and event officials, then pursue a safe fix or a sanctioned substitution if the rules allow it. This approach protects people and equipment, avoids making the problem worse, and follows the established procedures so the match stays fair. Ignoring the issue or pushing ahead with a faulty system can create risk or cause more damage, and simply powering down the entire system halts play in a way that isn’t appropriate unless there’s an immediate safety danger. Replacing the entire robot mid-match isn’t generally allowed unless the competition rules provide a clear path to do so, so the appropriate course is to address the fault safely and within permitted procedures.