It was in 2021 that Tesla first talked about a humanoid robot. Strangely, the company did not even have a basic prototype then and showcased a human dressed in a stretchy robot costume for the demo. It was natural, therefore, for many of Tesla’s detractors to not take this project seriously. There was no progress on this humanoid robot for over a year — until Tesla’s AI Day 2022 event, in which the company showcased a real working prototype of the robot for the first time ever. This version was said to be capable of walking at a sedate speed of five miles per hour, could deadlift 150 pounds, and could carry up to 45 pounds of weight. This prototype also weighed a little over 125 pounds.
While Tesla hasn’t yet delved into the intricacies of the Optimus Gen 2’s internal upgrades, it’s worth remembering that its predecessor leveraged technology from its Autopilot system and self-driving computer. This allowed the earlier robot to learn and adjust autonomously, appreciate Tesla’s vehicles. This learning capability suggests that Gen 2 likely builds upon these capabilities, potentially boasting even greater potential for advocate development and increased artificial intelligence prowess. It is also unclear if the new version has a bigger battery than the 2.3 kWh unit on the old prototype.
Despite the impressive advancements in the Optimus Gen 2, Tesla remains tight-lipped on its commercialization plans.
