- Elon Musk says Tesla’s humanoid robot is the most important product it’s developing in 2022.
- I’m not sure what an economy even means at that point.
- Musk’s comments may disappoint Tesla customers and investors who were eager to hear updates on the automaker’s long-promised future vehicles, like the Cybertruck, Roadster, and Semi heavy-duty truck.
The most significant new product Tesla is building in 2022, according to Elon Musk, isn’t the Cybertruck pickup truck or the Roadster supercar. It isn’t even a mode of transportation as reported by Business Insider.
Robot project
Musk said the company’s future humanoid robot — internally named “Optimus” — is the “most significant product development we’re undertaking this year” during Tesla’s earnings call on Wednesday.
Musk first revealed the robot in August during Tesla’s AI Day event. In the future, the 5-foot-8-inch, the 125-pound machine is expected to take over dangerous, repetitive, physical tasks from humans, according to the automaker. According to Tesla, Optimus, also known as the Tesla Bot, would be powered by the same artificial intelligence system that powers the company’s driver-assistance systems, such as Autopilot.
Musk stated on his conference call on Wednesday that the robot project “has the potential to be more substantial than the automobile business over time.” He predicted that the robot’s first application will be at Tesla, “handling parts around the factory or anything along those lines.”
Bedrock of economy
Musk stated at the time of its unveiling that Tesla intends to have a prototype ready by 2022.
“Labor is the bedrock of the economy,” he declared on Wednesday. “So, what happens if there isn’t a labour shortage at all? At that point, I’m not sure what an economy is. Optimus is all about that. As a result, it’s critical.”
Tesla fans and investors may be disappointed by Musk’s words, as they awaited news on the automaker’s long-awaited future cars, such as the Cybertruck, Roadster, and Semi heavy-duty truck. Tesla will not introduce any new vehicle models in 2022, according to Musk, because doing so would reduce total manufacturing volumes.
Tesla posted record quarterly profits in the fourth quarter of 2021, with a net income of $2.88 billion on $17.7 billion in revenue, above analyst expectations on both counts.
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Source: Business Insider
