Tesla’s Optimus robot will cost ‘less than a car’
New details about Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot has been revealed by CEO Elon Musk, who said they are intended to replace humans in “repetitive, boring and dangerous tasks”.
After first being announced at AI Day in August 2021, the robot will debut at AI Day on September 30.
In an essay published in China Cyberspace magazine, Musk wrote: “Tesla Bots are initially positioned to replace people in repetitive, boring, and dangerous tasks.
“But the vision is for them to serve millions of households, such as cooking, mowing lawns, and caring for the elderly”.
According to Musk, the robot was designed to to have human-like features and limbs.
“The Tesla Bot is close to the height and weight of an adult, can carry or pick up heavy objects, walk fast in small steps, and the screen on its face is an interactive interface for communication with people,” he said.
“You may wonder why we designed this robot with legs. Because human society is based on the interaction of a bipedal humanoid with two arms and ten fingers.
“So if we want a robot to adapt to its environment and be able to do what humans do, it has to be roughly the same size, shape, and capabilities as a human.”
Musk suggested that in the future a Tesla Bot may cost less than a car.
He said: “Thereafter, humanoid robots’ usefulness will increase yearly as production scales up and costs fall.
“In the future, a home robot may be cheaper than a car. Perhaps in less than a decade, people will be able to buy a robot for their parents as a birthday gift.”
Details of the bot includes that it’ll be 5ft 8in and 125lbs with the Autopilot computer used in the Tesla cars to be included in the bot which will allow the humanoid to recognise real-world objects.
It’ll be able to “deadlift” up to 150lbs, carry 45lbs and walk 5mph.
Musk dispelled any fears that a robot awakening can occur by stating: “It’s intended to be friendly, of course”.
