Elon Musk thinks Tesla can sell its Optimus humanoid robot for “less than $20,000” and it was unveiled today at AI Day 2022.
As was to be expected, the event began with Tesla displaying a functioning model of their humanoid robot, a project that was initially shown at Tesla’s AI day in 2021.
At the ceremony, two prototypes were unveiled.
Bumble C, the initial iteration of the bot that Tesla unveiled, was created with actuators that were “somewhat off-the-shelf.” It was used as a proving ground for Tesla’s first robot made with internal components.
Here is a photo of Bumble C entering the stage at the occasion:
Although it didn’t perform anything particularly noteworthy on stage, it could move around and wave to the audience.
Tesla did display several films of the robot carrying out specific chores in a regulated setting to show some degree of utility.
Even a demonstration of the robot working at a real workstation in the Fremont factory was provided by the automaker.
However, Tesla introduced the first-generation Optimus robot to the stage after Bumble C.
The fact that Tesla couldn’t actually make the new one walk yet is the reason why it didn’t lead with it and instead displayed an earlier, rougher version.
The new robot should be able to walk within the next few weeks, according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, but he wanted to demonstrate it today because it resembles the version of the robot that will be put into production more:
Additionally, it could only wave at the audience when on stage and had to be carried by Tesla staff.
Musk mentioned that the actuators, battery, and power electronics in this iteration were all made by Tesla.
Tesla disclosed that it had the initial prototype in February 2022, which resulted in the current iteration, which is reportedly going to begin walking soon.
A 2.3 kWh battery pack, which the carmaker estimates should be sufficient for around a day’s worth of work, is among the Optimus’ specifications that Tesla did provide.
The same “self-driving computer,” which Tesla unveiled last year, is also installed in Tesla cars: