Tesla's Humanoid Robot Optimus: Remote Control Reveals True Capabilities?

Tesla's Humanoid Robot Optimus: Remote Control Reveals True Capabilities?During Tesla's self-driving taxi unveiling event, the company showcased a prototype of its humanoid robot Optimus. However, sources claim that Tesla remotely controlled some of Optimus's functionalities during the event, raising questions about the robot's actual capabilities

Tesla's Humanoid Robot Optimus: Remote Control Reveals True Capabilities?

During Tesla's self-driving taxi unveiling event, the company showcased a prototype of its humanoid robot Optimus. However, sources claim that Tesla remotely controlled some of Optimus's functionalities during the event, raising questions about the robot's actual capabilities.

The event, dubbed "We,Robot," took place last week in Hollywood. An unnamed insider stated that Tesla employees remotely controlled Optimus's interactions with attendees. While the Optimus prototype was able to walk autonomously, its interactions with attendees, such as delivering drinks, high-fiving, and playing "rock, paper, scissors," were assisted by humans.

This revelation quickly spread online, with some attendees sharing their observations on social media, pointing out the robots' reliance on human help. A video purportedly shot at the event even surfaced, featuring an Optimus robot playing the role of bartender admitting to being "assisted by humans."

It's noteworthy that Tesla CEO Elon Musk didn't mention Optimus's remote control operation in his speech. During the event, Musk predicted that Optimus would become "the most important product ever" and claimed that the robot would be able to perform various household tasks, eventually selling to consumers for $20,000-$30,000 per unit.

"What can it do? Well, it can be your teacher, take care of your kids, walk your dog, mow your lawn, get your groceries, be your friend, hand you a drink," Musk described on the stage. "It can basically do anything you can think of."

While Tesla previously presented a prototype of the Optimus robot to the public, last week's event was the first time external individuals had the opportunity to interact directly with the black and white robot. Its performance has been a major point of focus for investors for a long time, despite the exact release date remaining unknown.

Observers pointed out that in 2022, early prototypes of Optimus even required people to help lift them onto the display stage. Subsequent updates released by Tesla, however, showcased a new version of the robot capable of sorting blocks and dancing.

Optimus was not originally planned for inclusion in last week's event. According to an insider, Musk decided to incorporate them into the program about three weeks before the event. This sudden change meant that engineers didn't have enough time to upgrade the software, hence the need for remote control assistance during the robot's demonstration.

During the event, Optimus was featured alongside the self-driving taxi and self-driving cargo van concept vehicles. Invited guests, including investors, Wall Street analysts, and Tesla fans, were given the opportunity to experience a short ride in a driverless Cybercab.

The grand event, held in a film studio, was generally considered underwhelming due to a lack of specific technical details and ambiguous statements regarding the self-driving taxi business. The following day, Tesla's stock suffered its most significant decline in over two months.

According to an insider, Musk originally planned to discuss multiple self-driving projects more comprehensively on stage. The demonstration was supposed to cover more details about the self-driving technology in Tesla's Semi truck, specific plans for the future ride-hailing service, and the pricing strategy for software packages. However, Musk either skipped over these aspects or removed them from the event entirely.

Many attendees cited their interaction with the Optimus robot as a highlight of Tesla's presentation. Nancy Tengler, CEO of investment and wealth advisory firm Laffer Tengler Investments, commented, "For me, Optimus was the star of the show. It walked in, it danced, it looked remarkably human."

Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, described the event as "a glimpse into the future world" and stated in a note to investors that humanoid robots "may be closer than we think."

Gene Munster, managing partner at growth equity firm Loup Ventures, acknowledged that Optimus was remotely controlled and admitted to being "misled" during the event, but wrote on social media that it still provided "a valuable window into the enormous potential of these products."

Despite relying on remote control for some of its displayed functions, Optimus became a focal point of Tesla's presentation and spurred interest in future humanoid robot technology. However, the remote control revelation raises questions about the robot's actual capabilities and the timing of its release. Whether Tesla can overcome technical barriers and truly achieve Optimus's autonomous operation remains a crucial aspect of its future development.