Tesla’s humanoid robot project Optimus has come to an unexpected halt due to significant structural and operational issues. The company had previously planned to produce 5,000 to 10,000 robots this year, but the project will be delayed by at least two months due to the transition to a new design phase and the failure to achieve the desired performance in the field.

Tesla has paused the Optimus program

This delay in the Optimus program came shortly after Milan Kovac, senior vice president responsible for the program, left the company. Kovac was replaced by Ashok Elluswamy, who was also responsible for Tesla’s autonomous driving projects.

The delay in production is not only due to a change in management, but also to problems with the robot’s hardware. It is reported that overheating in the joint motors, low carrying capacity in the hands, short lifespan of the transmission parts, and limited battery performance directly affect production plans.

Tesla is currently testing various robot hand designs and evaluating three different technical approaches to solve these problems. It is stated that the company is trying to increase the success rate in more complex tasks by using synthetic data on the software side of the robot.

The company, which supplied parts for more than 1,000 Optimus robots at the beginning of the year, has produced this number, but it is stated that the robots produced are currently only used in limited tasks in Tesla’s battery workshops. The efficiency of these robots is even half that of human workers.

Sources close to the supply chain say that Tesla has not officially canceled the orders, but will not order parts for new production until the design changes are completed. This situation may cause the company to revise its targets for Optimus production throughout the year.

On the other hand, Tesla is not expected to give up on the Optimus program. It is stated that the company may introduce the new generation robots at this year’s shareholder meeting. So what do you think about this? You can share your views with us in the comments section below.