News｜Tesla Unveils Next-Generation Optimus Robot: A Quantum Leap in Factory Production

In the realm of technology, Tesla has consistently been at the forefront, and the recent debut of the Optimus robot once again proves this point. On May 5th, Tesla shared the latest developments of the Optimus humanoid robot through social media, showcasing upgrades that significantly enhance its capabilities, thus marking a monumental leap forward in factory production.

In the released video, Optimus demonstrates its latest operational abilities: utilizing an end-to-end neural network to perform fundamental factory tasks, including precise sorting and tray insertion of 4680 battery cells. Notably, Optimus's walking speed has also been substantially boosted, exceeding last December's pace by over 30%, currently at approximately 0.6 meters per second. Tesla emphasizes the robot's autonomy, highlighting Optimus's capability to self-correct errors during operation.

Milan Kovac, an engineer from Tesla's robotics team, provided detailed insights into the upgraded Optimus. Tesla has developed and deployed a neural network that enables Optimus to execute practical tasks, such as picking up 4680 battery cells from conveyors and accurately placing them into battery trays. This neural network operates entirely end-to-end, utilizing data from the robot's own 2D cameras as well as touch and pressure sensors to directly generate joint control sequences. The network runs entirely on the robot's Full Self-Driving (FSD) controller, powered by the robot's battery. Optimus's design allows it to perform multiple tasks through a single neural network, with Tesla introducing a vast array of diverse data during the training process.

While Optimus is not yet perfect and exhibits relatively slow response times, its success rate is steadily improving. Tesla is also training Optimus on how to recover from failures, with observed instances where the robot autonomously corrects mistakes. Multiple Optimus robots have been deployed in a factory, undergoing daily testing and continuous improvement in real production environments. Additionally, Optimus can walk for extended periods in office settings without falling. Tesla is further researching methods to enhance the robot's mobility for adapting to more complex terrains, all while preserving its humanoid characteristics. Moreover, Tesla is committed to improving the replicability of the entire robot fleet, training neural networks to handle dynamic calibration and minor differences between robots.

Regarding pricing, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated, "The price of Optimus is expected to be below $25,000 or $30,000, with production costs anticipated to be even lower than half of that of a car."

Jim Fan, a senior research scientist at NVIDIA, praised the remarkable upgrades to Optimus. He remarked, "From the video, we catch a glimpse of their scene data collection, which is also a significant advantage of Optimus."

Tesla's Optimus robot has not only undergone comprehensive hardware upgrades but has also achieved unprecedented innovation in its operating system and data collection processes. The synergistic interplay of these critical elements positions Optimus as an invaluable assistant in factory production, injecting new vitality into Tesla's future development.