Optimus
A general-purpose humanoid robot for repetitive and unsafe work.
Optimus is Tesla's general-purpose humanoid robot program, built on the same vision-based autonomy stack used in Tesla vehicles. Early units are deployed inside Tesla's own factories on repetitive material-handling tasks, with production ramping toward external deployment in manufacturing, logistics, and eventually the home.
- Valuation
- -
- Change
- +5.1%
- Founded
- 2021
- Headquarters
- Fremont, CA
- Employees
- -
About Optimus
Optimus is Tesla's general-purpose humanoid robot program, built on the same vision-based neural network stack trained on Tesla's vehicle fleet data, adapted to a bipedal body. Early units are deployed inside Tesla's own factories on repetitive material-handling tasks - the same environment the program is validated in before any external deployment.
Hands with 22 degrees of freedom are what separate this from a fixed industrial arm: the same unit that walks a factory floor can, in principle, handle small-parts assembly, and the long-term roadmap extends toward general household tasks as the software and hardware both mature.
Remove people from repetitive, dangerous, or undesirable physical work.
How it got here
- 2021
Program announced
Introduced as a natural extension of the vision-based autonomy already running in Tesla's vehicle fleet.
- 2022
First walking prototype
An early hardware prototype demonstrated basic bipedal locomotion on stage.
- 2023
Gen 2 hand upgrade
A significant redesign brought tactile sensing and finer manipulation to the hands.
- 2025
First in-factory pilot deployment
Units began working supervised shifts on real material-handling tasks inside Tesla's own facilities.
- 2026
Gen 3 external orders open
The current generation platform opens to configuration and order for the first time outside internal deployment.
Core pillars
Shared vision stack
The same neural-network perception architecture trained on Tesla's vehicle fleet powers Optimus's navigation and object recognition.
Dexterous hands
22 degrees of freedom per hand target the kind of small-parts manipulation a fixed industrial arm can't do.
In-factory validation first
Every capability is proven on real tasks inside Tesla's own plants before any external or home deployment.
Fleet learning loop
Deployed units feed real-world task data back into training, the same feedback loop used for Full Self-Driving.
Facilities
Fremont Pilot Deployment
The first factory floor running supervised Optimus shifts on live material-handling tasks.
Giga Texas Production Line
Dedicated Optimus assembly line, sharing the campus with Model Y and Cybertruck production.
Scale
How it's kept safe
- Joints are force-limited to reduce impact severity in the event of unexpected contact with a person or object.
- Deployed units operate within geofenced task zones during the current in-factory validation phase.
- A hardware and software emergency stop is present on every unit, accessible to nearby personnel.
Frequently asked
Can Optimus be purchased today?+
Gen 3 is listed with a configurator for chassis finish, task package, and battery - see the product listing below for current pricing and lead times.
Is it autonomous or remote-operated?+
Deployed units run autonomously on trained tasks, with the same fleet-learning approach used for Full Self-Driving refining behavior over time.
What tasks can it do today?+
Current deployment focuses on repetitive material handling inside Tesla's own factories - the validated task set expands as the program matures.
When does home deployment start?+
No date has been set - in-factory validation remains the current focus before any broader household rollout.
