Tesla CEO Elon Musk asserts that the company is developing humanoid robots that will be operational in its factories starting next year.
The world’s wealthiest individual, known for his grandiose statements on social media, also mentioned on his platform X (formerly Twitter) about plans to enter “mass production” mode by 2026 to supply human-like robots to other businesses.
Tesla plans to build a small number of truly useful humanoid robots for its own internal use next year, and then mass-produce them for other companies, hopefully as soon as 2026.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 22, 2024
Musk, the owner of X and president of SpaceX, has previously made optimistic projections about the readiness of the robot, named Optimus, for commercial use. In 2021, the billionaire, with an estimated fortune of $250bn (£194bn) according to Forbes magazine, stated that he anticipated the mechanoid to be operational in Tesla factories the following year.
Optimus stands approximately 1.7 meters tall, weighs 56 kilograms, and is designed to handle tasks that are deemed “tiresome, repetitive, and hazardous.” The name is a nod to Optimus Prime, the iconic Autobot leader from the Transformers franchise.
During Tesla’s AI Day event in 2021, when a humanoid robot then known as the “Teslabot” was revealed, Musk presented a peculiar demonstration featuring performers in bodysuits dancing to electronic music.
A video was released demonstrating robots engaged in tasks like moving boxes, watering plants, and handling metal rods at an automaker’s factory.
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Musk has emphasized his ambition to ramp up production of the robots while keeping the cost per unit below $20,000.
Optimus isn’t the only project by Musk facing delays; in 2019, he confidently predicted that Tesla would have self-driving taxis on the roads the following year.
Earlier this year, Musk announced the unveiling of the model on August 8, but the launch is likely to be postponed after he requested alterations to the car’s front design.
Source: www.theguardian.com
