Phobetron

FOE-buh-trawn) A noun, denoting an electronic or otherwise artificial machine that inspires fear. Derived from the Greek word φόβητρον, meaning “a scarecrow, terror.”

I took more liberty with this word than usual; to the modern mind, “-tron” perhaps inescapably suggests machines. While any machine that creates fear in onlookers may be called a phobetron, the quintessential phobetron was created intentionally to cause fear. It may accomplish other things — it may in fact be quite functional and productive — but it was designed with the inspiration of fear firmly in mind. Both models of Terminator are phobetrons in the looser sense.