Tesla Bot, a Humanoid Robot that Leverages Vehicle Artificial Intelligence

Tesla claims to be developing a "nice" robot that will perform mundane jobs and will not retaliate.

Tesla has a track record of making bold claims. According to CEO and self-professed "Techno King" Elon Musk, the company's newest employee is merely normal size, standing approximately 5-foot-8 and weighing 125 pounds. Tesla has stated that it intends to develop a humanoid robot capable of doing basic activities such as auto maintenance and grocery shopping. It's part of the company's wider automation aspirations, which include developing its computer processor, codenamed the D1, to power the networks for self-driving vehicles.

At a presentation at its Fremont, Calif, plant on Thursday, Tesla teased the robot concept, dubbing it the "Tesla Bot" and "Optimus," and promising to reveal a prototype next year. A human disguised as the machine performed robotics movements and then danced onstage as part of the demonstration, possibly displaying the range of mobility that Tesla believes the bot will attain. The dancer, Musk quickly clarified, was not a genuine robot.

Hardware such as the full self-driving computer and computer chips, according to the firm, may be incorporated into the robot. It was also revealed that the robot will be equipped with a screen and Autopilot system of Tesla, which consists of eight cameras.

Driver-assistance technologies of Tesla have recently come under fire from industry competitors and regulatory safety inspectors worried about their fast adoption on public roads. Following over a dozen incidents involving parked emergency vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an inquiry into Tesla's driver-assistance suite, known as Autopilot, last week. Musk, on the other hand, is optimistic that Tesla's cars will one day be self-driving. Musk remarked about Tesla vehicles on Twitter immediately after the presentation. Because they currently create robots with wheels, they have virtually all of the parts needed for Humanoid Robot.

Musk claimed the robot will have its personality, even though the project was still in its early phases. He responded, "It's intended to be friendly, of course" and it traveled around a world designed for people, avoiding risky, repetitive, and uninteresting activities. He also stated that people must be ready for robots to undertake menial chores and, eventually, work alongside them, if not completely replace them in the workplace.

Tesla has had a tense relationship with its manufacturing workers in the past, with allegations that it broke labor laws and accusations that it summoned staff back to work during coronavirus shutdowns and fired them for failing to report to the factory line during the pandemic. The company's efforts to automate operations have been too quick at times, prompting it to revert and reintegrate people into the process.

A white-clad humanoid robot with sensors was depicted in Tesla's robot mock-up. According to the presentation, it would be "built by humans, for humans." The robot could deadlift up to 150 pounds and travel at a speed of five miles per hour. Musk has expressed concern about artificial intelligence's ability to outwit humans, even describing it as the greatest threat to humanity. Tesla, according to Musk, has opted to invest in what it believes will be an emerging sector of technology.

Elon Musk stated that the robot is not motivated only by production requirements. It's simply that they're manufacturing the parts for a functional humanoid robot, so he figured they should create it, and if they don't, someone else will. He assumes they should create it and test it for safety.

At product unveilings and investor presentations, Tesla has a history of inflating timeframes and overpromising. The Cybertruck electric pickup was introduced in November 2019, however, the firm recently admitted that it will not be delivered until 2022 at the earliest. Last year, the firm organized a "Battery Day" event to show off its next-generation battery cell, which would be featured in the Model S Plaid-Plus version.