Tesla’s humanoid robot program, Optimus, has hit a roadblock with the departure of Milan Kovac, the senior vice president in charge of the project. The production of the robot has been delayed due to a redesign as it has not proven to be useful in Tesla’s factories.
Elon Musk had set an ambitious goal for Tesla to produce 5,000 to 10,000 Optimus humanoid robots this year. However, sources within the Chinese supply chain have reported that Tesla has informed suppliers of a two-month halt on orders, indicating a delay in achieving this goal.
AI Invest was the first to report the news, which was later corroborated by The Information. Two supplier sources revealed that Tesla will wait until the design adjustments for Optimus are completed before finalizing a new mass production plan and resuming procurement, a process that may take two months. The new version of Optimus is said to have significant improvements over the second-generation model and now includes voice interaction powered by Grok.
The departure of Milan Kovac, who was recently promoted to senior vice president by Musk, has raised concerns about the future of the Optimus program. Ashok Elluswamy, who was also promoted to senior vice president at the same time as Kovac, is now taking over responsibilities for the project.
Tesla has expressed concerns about Optimus to its Chinese suppliers, citing hardware challenges such as overheating in joint motors, low load capacity in dexterous hands, and limited battery life. The redesign is expected to address these issues and improve the robot’s performance in complex tasks.
Despite the setbacks, Tesla is still committed to the Optimus program and is expected to unveil the new generation of robots at its shareholders meeting later this year. However, the delay in production plans could impact Tesla’s overall goals for the project.
In conclusion, while the Optimus humanoid robot program at Tesla faces challenges, the company remains determined to make it a success. The departure of key personnel and the redesign of the robot indicate that Tesla is taking the necessary steps to overcome obstacles and deliver a product that meets its high standards. The unveiling of the new generation of Optimus robots at the shareholders meeting will be a key milestone in the development of this innovative technology.
