Tesla developing human-like ‘friendly’ robot to perform menial tasks

by Rachel Scully - 08/20/21 9:49 AM ET

Tesla announced Thursday that it is planning to build a humanoid robot to perform physical tasks and will likely have a prototype ready next year, The Washington Post reported.

The robot, dubbed the “Tesla Bot,” will reportedly have a screen on the face to display “useful information,” CEO Elon Musk said, according to CNN. The concept, which was announced during the company’s AI Day presentation, is part of the tech giant’s plan to advance automation.

“It’s basically going to start dealing with work that is boring, repetitive and dangerous,” said Musk. “What is the work that people would least like to do?”

pic.twitter.com/nGruZPmt21

— Tesla Owners of Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) August 20, 2021

The price of the machine has not yet been revealed.

Musk said the robot would have a “profound” impact on the economy and that physical work would be a choice in the future.

“If you want to do it you can, but you won’t need to do it,” he said.

In recent years, Tesla has been working to develop more advanced technology, such as a computer chip that will power what Musk hopes will be full self-driving cars.

The robot would be designed similarly to the self-driving cars, using the same computer chip and eight cameras.

“We have almost all the pieces needed for humanoid robots, since we already make robots with wheels,” Musk tweeted.

However, Musk clarified that the robot, which will stand at 5 feet 8 inches, is still in the early stages of its development, adding that the machines would have their own personality.

He joked that he hopes the robot “does not feature in a dsytopian sci-fi movie.”

Recently, officials have been calling for an investigation into the safety of Tesla’s vehicles. Two senators wrote a letter to the Federal Trade Commission saying the company repeatedly “overstated the capabilities of its vehicles,” and that the vehicles “pose a threat to motorists and other users of the road.”