<SG8>

Engage with the Autonomous Line at your own risk. Any Robot who engages with Scoring Objects and/or Wall Stakes on the Autonomous Line should be aware that opponent Robots may also choose to do the same. Per <G11> and <G12>, Teams are responsible for the actions of their Robots at all times. During the Autonomous Period, when Robots from opposing Alliances are both engaged with the same Scoring Object or Wall Stake:

If a possible <G13> Violation occurs (e.g., damage, Entanglement, or tipping over), a judgment call will be made by the Head Referee within the context of <G13> and <G14> (just as it would if the interaction had occurred during the Driver Controlled Period).

Incidental Violations of <SG7> will not be penalized, nor will they result in an automatic loss of the Autonomous Bonus as described by <G12>. However, this allowance only applies when opposing Robots are interacting with the same element.

Intentional, strategic, repeated, or egregious offenses may still be deemed a Violation of <G12>, <G13>, <G14>, <SG7>, <G1>, and / or <S1> at the Head Referee’s discretion.

These gameplay elements are intended to be utilized by either Alliance during the Autonomous Period. This will inevitably result in Robot-on-Robot interactions, both incidental and intentional. The overarching intent of <SG8> is for the vast majority of these interactions to result in no rule Violations and/or penalties for either Alliance, just as no rules Violations occur in 99% of Driver Controlled interactions.