A humanoid robot developed by Tesla, named Tesla Bot or Optimus, is being described as a “highly capable robot” that will be produced in large quantities in the future.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, introduced the humanoid robot named Optimus at the “AI Day” event held by the electric vehicle manufacturer on September 30.
Importantly, Optimus is expected to be priced significantly lower than a car.
Tesla introduces humanoid robot named Optimus at the “AI Day” event on September 30. (Photo: Reuters)
According to The Guardian, the billionaire stated that the robot business could be more valuable than cars and hopes to expand the market beyond autonomous vehicles, a field he has yet to realize despite multiple promises.
During the announcement, a prototype of the Optimus robot walked onto the stage and waved to the audience. Meanwhile, a video was shown displaying the robot lifting a box, watering plants, and moving metal bars within a factory.
“Our goal is to create a useful humanoid robot as quickly as possible. However, there is still a lot of work to refine Optimus and prove that,” Musk said.
Musk noted that current humanoid robots are “brain-dead” and lack the intelligence to navigate the world independently. They are also very expensive, leading to limited production.
However, Optimus is expected to be a “highly capable robot”, with plans for mass production in the millions, and is anticipated to cost significantly less than a car, specifically under $20,000.
According to Reuters, Tesla announced that it developed a robot prototype in February this year. Representatives from Musk and Tesla acknowledged that much work remains to achieve the goal of mass-producing affordable robots using technology designed by Tesla that can replace humans in various tasks.
Other automakers, including Toyota Motor and Honda Motor, have developed humanoid robot prototypes capable of performing complex tasks such as playing basketball, while robots produced by ABB and other manufacturers are key players in automotive production.
However, Tesla stands alone in pushing for market opportunities for domestic robots and those used in factories.
A next-generation Tesla robot, moved onto the stage by staff, utilizes components designed by Tesla, including a 2.3 kWh battery, a chip system, and actuators to control its limbs. The robot is designed to weigh 73 kg.
“This robot cannot move yet. But I think it will be able to walk in a few weeks,” Musk stated.
According to Elon Musk, this event aims to detail the process Tesla is using to design the robot’s hand and employ collision simulation technology to test the robot’s ability to fall without breaking.
Musk expressed that the mass deployment of robots has the potential to “transform civilization” and create “a prosperous future, a future without poverty.” However, he believes it is crucial for Tesla’s shareholders to be able to monitor the company’s operations.
“If I go crazy, the company can fire me. This is important,” Musk added.
Tesla also discussed its long-delayed self-driving technology at this event. Engineers working on the self-driving car software described how they design the software to choose actions, such as when to merge into traffic and how they are accelerating the design process on computers.
In May, Musk stated that the world’s most valuable car manufacturer would “essentially be worth zero” if it fails to achieve full self-driving capabilities and faces technological barriers.
Musk mentioned that he hopes Tesla will achieve full self-driving capability this year and mass-produce robotaxis without steering wheels or pedals by 2024.
At an “Autonomy” event in 2019, Musk promised there would be 1 million robots by 2020 but has yet to deliver a single vehicle of that kind.
