Connect with us
What do skeptics want to see Tesla Optimus Bot do on AI Day? What do skeptics want to see Tesla Optimus Bot do on AI Day?

News

What do skeptics want to see Tesla Optimus Bot do on AI Day?

Published

on

Ten days from now, a working prototype of the Tesla Optimus Bot is expected to take center stage on AI Day which will be held in Palo Alto, California. Although Dojo updates and other Full Self-Driving news are expected to be revealed, the most talked about topic is the Tesla Optimus Bot that was announced during last year’s AI Day event.

Tesla fans, customers, critics, skeptics, and shareholders all have their thoughts about the Optimus Bot and in an interview with Reuters, a few skeptics shared their thoughts. Some included what the robot should do and others touched upon the idea that it wasn’t exciting enough for investors.

Arizona State University professor Nancy Cooke said that Tesla needs to show the robot doing multiple unscripted actions. If Tesla is able to do that, it could boost the stock.

“If he just gets the robot to walk around, or he gets the robots to dance, that’s already been done. That’s not that impressive,” she told Reuters.

Advertisement

Gene Munster, managing partner at Loup Ventures said that investors weren’t excited about the bot; adding that the probability that it works at scale is low and that it’s “infinitely harder than self-driving cars.”

Despite that take on Tesla’s robot, Loup Ventures thinks that Tesla’s second AI Day is a win for the company. The odds of seeing a working prototype of the Optimus Bot are low, Loup Ventures said in its post, but it sees Tesla outlining its long-term obstacles related to the robot and the market for it.

Shaun Azimi NASA’s engineering team leader for the Dexterous Robotics Team compared the challenges of self-driving cars with the potential challenges of humanoid robots.

“Self-driving cars weren’t really proved to be as easy as anyone thought. And it’s the same way with humanoid robots to some extent,” he said.

Advertisement

“If something unexpected happens, being flexible and robust to those kinds of changes is very difficult.”

Elon Musk recently penned an essay published in the China Cyberspace magazine that covered a variety of topics including the Tesla robot. In the essay, Elon Musk said that the Optimus Bot is designed to replace human labor in repetitive, boring, and dangerous tasks.

“Tesla Bots are initially positioned to replace people in repetitive, boring, and dangerous tasks. But the vision is for them to serve millions of households, such as cooking, mowing lawns, and caring for the elderly,” Elon Musk wrote.

Some examples of repetitive tasks that might win over some skeptics may include displaying the dexterity of the robot’s hands. For example, sewing a stitch in fabric, painting a small and a large object, writing on a notepad, or even wrapping a sprained ankle with an ACE bandage.

Advertisement

Perhaps opening AI Day with the robot driving the Tesla Cybertruck on stage with Elon in the passenger seat would be entertaining.

Are you a skeptic of Tesla’s Optimus Bot? If so, what do you think the prototype should be able to do to win you over? Do you think Tesla will be able to unveil a working prototype that does more than walking or giving someone a flower as the Xiaomi CyberOne did last month? Let us know in the comments.

Note: Johnna is a Tesla shareholder and supports its mission. 

Your feedback is important. If you have any comments, or concerns, or see a typo, you can email me at johnna@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter at @JohnnaCrider1.

Advertisement

Teslarati is now on TikTok. Follow us for interactive news & more.

Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge writer covering Tesla, Elon Musk, EVs, and clean energy & supports Tesla's mission. Johnna also interviewed Elon Musk and you can listen here

Advertisement
Comments

Cybertruck

Tesla confirms it’s releasing a long-awaited Cybertruck feature

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla has finally and officially confirmed that Actually Smart Summon, commonly known as ASS, will make its way to the Cybertruck two and a half years after first deliveries.

The feature, which is part of the Full Self-Driving suite, allows owners of any Tesla to literally summon their vehicle to their location in a parking lot. It is limited by range and speed, especially as there is nobody in the vehicle, but is a great feature to have for rainstorms, busy parking lots, or for injured passengers (I recently used it so I could give my Fiancèe a hand leaving a sports injury doctor after she pulled her calf).

Summon has been available on every Tesla that is currently available, but the Cybertruck has not had the feature in the two and a half years that customers have been taking deliveries.

There were a few things that Tesla had to work out with Full Self-Driving features, Summon in particular, with the Cybertruck.

Initially, its Steer-by-Wire system handles low-speed maneuvers differently than a typical mechanical steering connection available in the S3XY lineup. This required some additional time of development to allow Tesla to retrain and validate the AI models specifically for the feature within Cybertruck.

Advertisement

Additionally, the overall size and weight of Cybertruck impacted expected dynamics, has an impact on braking distances, and even obstacle avoidance in tighter lots. Tesla prioritized safety over launching the feature ahead of having the utmost confidence in it.

However, the wait is finally over, at least it seems that way. Tesla said that Cybertruck will receive ASS through a Software Update “shortly,” but did not give an explicit date. Tesla has said that Summon is coming in the past, only for it to be delayed yet again.

Advertisement

We anticipate that Summon will roll out within the Cybertruck in less than a week, but there are still some reservations about that timing because, ultimately, nobody knows what Tesla will do outside of Tesla. The Spring Update for many came well late, at least a month past the initial rollout wave.

The rollout of Summon to Cybertruck is a great milestone for Tesla, even if it has come later than most would really like to admit. Now that Cybertrucks will be summoned across parking lots, it will be awesome to see reactions to the massive pickup with no driver sitting in the driver’s seat.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla Full Self-Driving is taking over Europe: fourth country gets FSD approval

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla has secured regulatory approval for its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system in Denmark, marking a significant step in the technology’s expansion across Europe.

Announced on June 9, the approval positions Denmark as the fourth European country to greenlight FSD Supervised, following the Netherlands, Lithuania, and Estonia.

Rollout to Danish vehicle owners is expected to begin soon, the company said.

The Danish Road Traffic Authority granted provisional approval after reviewing the original type approval issued by the Dutch vehicle authority (RDW) on April 10, 2026.

Advertisement

This national recognition approach allows individual countries to bypass slower EU-wide harmonization processes, accelerating deployment. Lithuania activated the system on May 20, with Estonia following on May 29, demonstrating a rapid domino effect across the region.

Advertisement

FSD Supervised enables advanced driver assistance capabilities, including automatic steering, acceleration, braking, lane changes, and navigation through complex urban and rural environments. The system is designed for supervised use, as its name states, meaning drivers must remain attentive and ready to intervene at all times.

It adapts to diverse conditions, such as rain, night driving, and varied road types common in Denmark, but it is important to note that the tech is not fully autonomous.

Following a launch in Europe just a few months ago, with its first approval coming in the Netherlands, Tesla is just now highlighting the successful start.

Early data from the Netherlands highlights strong safety performance. Between April 10 and June 5, vehicles using FSD Supervised recorded 3.5 times fewer collisions than manual driving overall, with zero crashes reported on highways across more than 16.6 million kilometers driven.

Advertisement

These results underscore the potential of the technology to enhance road safety when properly supervised.

Tesla’s European push builds on its global footprint, now reaching 12 countries with FSD Supervised availability. The software receives continuous over-the-air updates, improving performance based on real-world data from millions of miles.

In Denmark, owners with compatible hardware—particularly newer vehicles equipped with Hardware 4 (HW4)—are anticipated to gain access first, though exact timelines and eligibility details will be confirmed during rollout.

This approval reflects growing regulatory confidence in supervised autonomy across Europe. As more nations recognize the Dutch certification, Tesla continues to demonstrate how its AI-driven approach can navigate real-world driving scenarios effectively. Denmark’s addition strengthens Tesla’s position in the region, paving the way for broader adoption on a continent that his been surprisingly slow to adopt the technology.

Advertisement

With FSD Supervised now approved in four European markets in just two months, the technology is steadily advancing toward wider availability. Tesla aims to refine the system further through ongoing data collection and software iterations, supporting its vision for safer and more efficient transportation.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla revises FSD transfer policy on new Cybertruck trim, causing cancellations

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla has apparently revised the policy it previously had listed for Full Self-Driving transfers on the newest All-Wheel-Drive Cybertruck that the company had sold for a steal price of just $59,000 earlier this year.

After initially stating that customers who bought the pickup would be able to transfer FSD purchases, Tesla recently changed the language in those terms and conditions to reflect that this would no longer be the case.

Tesla launches new Cybertruck trim with more features than ever for a low price

The adjustment in terminology has caused a handful of orderers to cancel their reservations due to the loss of FSD transfer:

Advertisement

Tesla said orders for the new Cybertruck AWD must be placed by March 31, 2026, to qualify for the FSD transfer. The language in the document from earlier this year explicitly states that they “may qualify” for the transfer program, but the date of March 31 is explicitly mentioned.

Advertisement

Additionally, Tesla Delivery Advisors reached out to some orderers of the AWD Cybertruck, who were told there was “an update to the eligibility of the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) transfer.” Tesla stated they could:

  • proceed without the transfer,
  • upgrade to a Premium or Cyberbeast trim and request an FSD Transfer
  • cancel the order and be refunded the $250 order fee.

Tesla turning around and changing these terms will undoubtedly result in a handful of cancellations on the part of those who have placed an order for this truck. They could pay $99 per month for an FSD subscription, which is now the only option available, but having purchased the suite outright on another vehicle and being told the transfer policy would be upheld, only to have it cancelled, is a tough pill to swallow.

These moves were also made by Tesla just before deliveries were set to begin on the Cybertruck AWD configuration. Reservation holders have started receiving VINs for their trucks, and Tesla is preparing to hand over the first units.

It’s a disappointing move from Tesla that will undoubtedly make some of its fans who have bought the truck frustrated.

Advertisement
Continue Reading