Shankul Bhandare
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the electric car manufacturer will begin producing and utilizing humanoid robots next year. In a social media post, Musk shared that these robots will initially be used within Tesla and are set to be available for purchase by 2026. Previously, he had indicated that the robot, named Optimus, would be operational in Tesla factories by the end of this year. Other companies, such as Honda and Boston Dynamics, are also developing their own humanoid robots.
“Tesla will have genuinely useful humanoid robots in low production for internal use next year and, hopefully, high production for other companies in 2026,” Musk said on his platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
This announcement came just a day before Tesla was scheduled to release its latest financial results, which saw the company’s shares rise by more than 5% in New York trading on Monday.
Tesla’s goal is to create an “autonomous humanoid robot” designed to handle “unsafe, repetitive, or boring tasks.” Musk has previously stated that the robots will be mass-produced and cost less than $20,000 (£17,900) each. Known for his ambitious timelines, Musk has not always met his projected deadlines. In 2019, he expressed confidence that Tesla would have self-driving taxis on the road by the following year.
Earlier this year, Musk promised that the long-awaited robotaxi would be unveiled on August 8th. However, last week, he confirmed a report that the event would be delayed. Musk did not provide a new date but mentioned he had requested modifications to the vehicle’s front. “The extra time allows us to show off a few other things,” he wrote.
Bloomberg News had reported that the event might be postponed until October. Musk’s ventures have increasingly focused on advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, and robotics amid a slowdown in demand for electric vehicles.
