At Tesla's "We, Robot" event, held alongside the Cybercab robotaxi reveal, the company's Optimus humanoid robots showcased interactive capabilities but were not fully autonomous, relying on human assistance.
Attendees reported that the robots served drinks, played games, and engaged in conversation, creating an impressive display. However, it was later clarified that their performance involved significant remote human support.
Attendee Robert Scoble noted that an engineer informed him about the robots being "remote assisted." Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas corroborated this, stating that the robots depended on tele-operations.
Distinct voices and immediate responses from the robots suggested human involvement. Videos from the event showed robots acknowledging their partial dependence on human control.
Elon Musk, known for his theatrical product reveals, made bold claims about the Cybercab's pricing, stating it would be below $30,000 with production expected in 2026. However, skepticism surrounds Musk's history of ambitious promises, as previous timelines for fully autonomous vehicles have not been met.
Following the event, Tesla's share price experienced a notable decline.