Tesla CEO Elon Musk has delayed the launch of the humanoid robot Optimus longer than scheduled. This decision is surprising, particularly in light of Musk’s emphatic statements last spring about restructuring the company to focus more on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).
Tesla is developing a general-purpose humanoid robot, Optimus, designed to perform dangerous or repetitive tasks across various industrial and commercial settings. Over time, the company has showcased several advancements in the robot’s development. In 2023, Tesla introduced the second generation of this humanoid robot, the Optimus Gen 2.
Several months ago, Musk stated that Optimus would be used for actual work within Tesla factories by the end of this year. He also mentioned plans to sell the humanoid robot to external users by the end of 2025.
However, he recently announced a change in plans, indicating that Tesla will reduce internal production of the humanoid robot next year and aim to increase production for other companies by 2026. Such represents a delay of about one year from the original schedule.
Along with delays in Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology and a two-month postponement of the robotaxi initiative, the launch of Optimus has now also been delayed. The issues may stem from technical challenges or cost concerns. However, these frequent postponements are eroding Tesla’s credibility.
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