Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, malfunctioned during a well-publicized demonstration at the opening of the company’s new Los Angeles diner. The robot reportedly lost connection on its first day and froze while trying to serve popcorn to customers. Even more disheartening was the Tesla employees’ acknowledgement during the event that a human was teleoperating the robot, which calls into question Elon Musk’s insistence that Optimus is a ground-breaking, self-governing device.
Musk has positioned Optimus as the labour of the future, estimating that it will bring in “trillions of dollars” for Tesla and eventually sell 100,000 units a month. However, doubts regarding the robot’s true capabilities were strengthened by the launch event. Even under human control, observers observed that Optimus could only operate for a short time before completely failing.
The failure coincides with more general worries about Tesla’s present course. Tesla is under pressure to produce new goods that live up to its $1 trillion valuation as sales of electric vehicles are dropping and its autonomous driving program is still not working. However, the Optimus program itself seems to be in disarray. The leader of the robotics effort, Milan Kovac, departed the company just last month, not long after receiving a promotion. Additionally, Tesla recently halted the development of robots to carry out basic upgrades because it has been reported that the current model is not up to par with human workers, even for basic factory tasks.
Tesla is far from at the forefront of the humanoid robot race, according to critics. More sophisticated and specially designed robots with laser scanners and hybrid mobility systems are already being used by other businesses, such as Google Hexagon with its new Aeon robot. However, it appears that Tesla is depending more on hype than actual hardware.
The accident at the diner is reminiscent of the company’s problems with its Austin robotaxi service, which still needs continual human supervision. Both Optimus and Tesla’s robotaxi program seem to be moving far more slowly than investors had hoped, despite Musk’s grandiose claims, and the competition isn’t waiting.