Final answer:
During the autonomous phase of a robotics competition, robots can be penalized for infractions like moving out of bounds, damaging others or the field, scoring in the wrong area, or human interaction. The penalties vary by competition rules and can lead to point deductions or disqualification.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the autonomous portion of a robotics competition, commonly referred to as 'auton,' robots are generally penalized for a number of infractions. These can include moving outside of designated areas, causing intentional damage to other robots or the field, scoring in the opponent's area, or interacting with the human-operated controls.
The specific rules and penalties depend on the competition's guidelines, such as those set by FIRST Robotics or VEX Robotics. Penalties can result in points being deducted from a team's score or even disqualification from a match, depending on the severity of the infraction.