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Tesla Robotaxi and Optimus news · Elon Musk Podcast

• 0:01
  Hey everybody, welcome back to the Elon Musk Podcast.
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  This is a show where we discuss the critical crossroads that
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  shape SpaceX, Tesla X, The Boring Company and Neurolink.
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  I'm your host, Will Walden. Elon Musk announced that Tesla
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  is preparing major upgrades for its Optimus humanoid robot, a
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  project that must considers crucial for both consumer use
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  and the company's future valuation.
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  Now, Tesla has already delivered 2 generations of optimist
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  prototypes, each showing measurable improvements.
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  People are asking what exactly will change in the next version
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  of the robot, because those developments suggest that Tesla
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  is determined to make Optimus A practical tool for daily tasks
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  and industrial use. The robot, first revealed in
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  concept form with a human in a spandex suit, now exists as
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  functioning machines that assist in Tesla's manufacturing
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  facilities. Now, Tesla developed Optimist
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  Gen. 2 with a range of refinements over the first
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  prototype. Engineers reduced its weight by
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  about 22 lbs, which boosted both its agility and energy
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  efficiency, and the second generation also achieved a 30%
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  increase in walking speed compared to its predecessor.
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  The design team focused on dexterity, equipping Gen. 2 with
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  hands that feature 22° of freedom, twice as many as Gen.
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  1, and that change enabled the robot to grip and manipulate
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  objects with greater precision. Tesla also added neck
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  articulation, giving Optimist Gen. 2A2 degree of Freedom neck.
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  Where the original version had a fixed structure, now the
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  mechanical design improvements extend to Optimist Gen. 2's feet
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  as well. Tesla incorporated foot force
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  and torque sensors, along with articulated toes shaped more
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  like a human foot. These changes allowed better
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  balance and smoother walking. The robot's total degrees of
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  freedom increase to 28, expanding its range of motion.
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  Tesla demonstrated these upgrades in public by having
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  Optimist Gen. 2 perform squats, yoga poses and dances, and at
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  one test it even post an egg showing fine motor control and
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  coordination beyond what Gen. one could manage now.
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  Tesla plans to begin limited internal production of Optimists
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  this year for factory use. Public production could start by
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  2026, and the company believes it can produce at least 100,000
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  units annually by 2026 or sooner, depending on
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  manufacturing capacity. Engineers are building the
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  production line now, aiming to meet that goal, and Musk said
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  the next Optimist iteration will include many more improvements,
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  though he has not specified what features will change.
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  But Tesla envision future versions of Optimist handling
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  routine chores such as like folding your laundry, cooking,
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  babysitting, and walking your dogs.
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  And Musk suggested the capabilities, like threading a
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  needle, could demonstrate the robot's precision in future
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  models. Now, Tesla is also progressing
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  with its Robotaxi project. The company's driverless
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  vehicles have become increasingly visible in public
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  roads in Austin, TX. The 1st sighting of a driverless
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  text, the robotaxi, happened about a week ago.
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  Tesla based the test platform on the Model Y, outfitting it for
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  autonomous operation, though, and the company marked the
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  vehicles with unique decals on the doors, making them
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  identifiable without the typical LIDAR sensors seen on other
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  driverless cars, like those from Waymo.
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  Additional robotaxi sightings followed throughout the past
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  week as Tesla continued public Rd. testing.
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  Observers noted that the robotaxis have white interiors,
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  which made it easy to confirm that no driver occupied the
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  vehicles. The company is preparing to
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  launch the Robotaxi platform officially in Austin on June
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  22nd, according to Musk, but remains unclear whether Tesla
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  will meet this date. But the company has made clear
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  that it prioritizes safety before offering public rides.
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  Now, Tesla is not limiting its robo taxi just to Austin,
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  though. The company has started seeking
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  regulatory approvals in other areas, including California.
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  And the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has
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  assisted in this process by granting exemptions that ease
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  the development path for driverless vehicles.
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  The regulatory support could help Tesla move forward more
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  efficiently and may benefit other manufacturers working on
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  similar autonomous platforms now.
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  Elon views both Optimist and Robotaxi platform as central to
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  Tesla strategy in automation and AI for the future.
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  And Optimist, with its growing capabilities, could change how
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  factories and households handle repetitive tasks.
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  Robotaxi platform, starting with Model Y based vehicles could
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  reshape urban transportation if the rollout succeeds as planned.
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  Now, Tesla's dual focus on humanoid robots and autonomous
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  vehicles shows how the company is channelling its resources
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  into products designed to serve both the industry and the
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  consumers at a larger scale. It's not just a car company
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  anymore, it's robotic company and an AI company.
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  The next phase for optimists involves building a version
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  capable of finer, more delicate work, and Tesla engineers are
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  working now to make that happen. The next phase for Robo Taxi
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  involves completing the Austin launch and preparing for wider
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  development in other cities. Both projects are huge, huge
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  priorities for Tesla and they are working on scaling up
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  autonomation beyond just their normal vehicles and including a
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  cyber truck. Hey, thank you so much for
• 5:32
  listening today. I really do appreciate your
• 5:34
  support. If you could take a second and
• 5:36
  hit the subscribe or the follow button on whatever podcast
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  platform that you're listening on right now, I greatly
• 5:42
  appreciate it. It helps out the show
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  tremendously and you'll never miss an episode.
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  And each episode is about 10 minutes or less to get you
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  caught up quickly. And please, if you want to
• 5:52
  support the show even more, go to patreon.com/stagezero and
• 5:59
  please take care of yourselves and each other and I'll see you
• 6:01
  tomorrow.