Tesla’s Optimus robots took center stage at an event in Los Angeles this week.
Optimus is your personal R2D2 / C3PO, but better
It will also transform physical labor in industrial settings pic.twitter.com/iCET3a9pd8
— Tesla (@Tesla) October 11, 2024
Elon Musk claimed these humanoid robots will be “the biggest product ever of any kind.” The nearly 6-foot-tall robots are expected to cost between $20,000 to $30,000 in the long term. An Optimus robot served drinks during the event, impressing the audience.
Musk had previously suggested that Tesla might start selling these robots externally by the end of 2025. However, experts are divided on the feasibility of this timeline.
Robovan seats 20 & can be adapted to commercial or personal use – school bus, RV, cargo pic.twitter.com/CtjEfcaoHI
— Tesla (@Tesla) October 11, 2024
Dev Nag, CEO of QueryPal, believes it will likely be five or more years before consumers see Optimus bots in their homes.
Tesla Shares Sink After Musk’s Robotaxi Unveiling Disappoints – via @business https://t.co/vVQb17MvPh
— Jan-Albert Hootsen (@jahootsen) October 11, 2024
“The robot still faces challenges in areas like walking steadily on uneven terrain, lasting all day on a single battery charge, and safely navigating around people and pets,” Nag told The Post. Agnieszka Pilat, a robotics artist who works closely with Boston Dynamics and Agility Robotics, said it would take about a decade for a full retail rollout. “Mass adoption will take time because they’re very expensive.
Optimus robot wows LA crowd
The software is complicated and the hardware is complicated,” Pilat explained. Dan Ives, a Wedbush analyst who interacted with an Optimus robot for more than an hour during the event, believes the bots will be in households by 2027.
“What Tesla unveiled last night was jaw-dropping,” Ives said. Shawn DuBravac, CEO at Avrio Institute, noted that household robots will eventually become as commonplace as washing machines and dishwashers. However, he agreed there are significant hurdles beyond the price point Musk has yet to overcome.
DuBravac pointed out that Tesla’s bots will face challenges related to data privacy, safety standards, and liability in case of malfunction. Experts said Optimus will also have to overcome social and cultural challenges for a widespread rollout. But Ives argued that tech giants have overcome similar hurdles in the past.
“In 2007, people viewed the concept of smartphones as off-the-rails,” Ives noted. “Now, look where we are today.”
While the promise of having an Optimus robot in every household is compelling, various experts suggest it will take time and significant advancements before these humanoid robots are a common sight.
