Tesla boss Elon Musk says the electrical automobile maker will begin producing and utilizing humanoid robots from subsequent 12 months.
In a social media publish, Mr Musk mentioned the robots will first be utilized by Tesla, which can begin making them to promote in 2026.
The announcement got here because the expertise billionaire has been pushing to chop prices at Tesla within the face of weakening demand for its vehicles.
On Tuesday, the corporate reported that income had dropped by practically half within the three months to the tip of June, falling from $2.7bn (£2.09bn) to lower than $1.5bn (£1.16bn), as a gross sales hunch weighed on the underside line.
“Total, our focus stays on company-wide price discount,” the corporate mentioned on Tuesday in an replace for buyers.
Tesla mentioned its automotive income fell 7% year-on-year within the quarter, regardless of a flurry of worth cuts and different incentives aimed toward attractive prospects.
It nonetheless eked out an total income rise of two%, because of progress in its power storage enterprise.
Mr Musk’s companies have been more and more specializing in applied sciences comparable to synthetic intelligence, autonomous driving and robots at a time of slowing demand for electrical autos.
Mr Musk had beforehand mentioned he anticipated the robotic, referred to as Optimus, to be prepared to be used in Tesla factories by the tip of this 12 months.
“Tesla may have genuinely helpful humanoid robots in low manufacturing for Tesla inside use subsequent 12 months and, hopefully, excessive manufacturing for different corporations in 2026,” Mr Musk mentioned on his social media platform X, previously generally known as Twitter.
Different companies, together with Honda and Boston Dynamics, have additionally been growing their very own humanoid robots.
Tesla has mentioned it goals to construct an “autonomous humanoid robotic” to carry out “unsafe, repetitive or boring duties.”
Mr Musk has beforehand mentioned Tesla aimed for the robots to be mass produced and price lower than $20,000 (£17,900) every.
He’s identified for setting bold timelines for his corporations, which he has not all the time met.
In 2019, he mentioned he felt “very assured” Tesla would have self-driving taxis on the street by the next 12 months.
Earlier this 12 months, Mr Musk mentioned the long-awaited robo-taxi can be unveiled on 8 August, however that occasion has reportedly been delayed.
Tesla mentioned on Tuesday that it was nonetheless working “vigorously” on robo-taxis, however the timing of the rollout would rely partially on regulatory approval.
