When you consider that a lot of technology already exists, and Tesla can outsource/poach people/buy companies to get it, they are not going to be a problem.
Here’s what is good:
- Scale – this is perhaps the first attempt to create robots at the same scale as cars. That means they will be cheaper, Musk says around $20K.
- Efficiency – this is massive. SpaceX came from Musk’s ability to make rockets more efficient and that is a key aspect of Optimus. A huge hurdle for all robots is carrying the battery they need. Efficiency pays off in magnitudes.
- Form factor is humanoid – this has mostly been avoided by competitors because smaller and having wheels is more efficient. But a humanoid robot has two key plusses – people are perhaps more likely to buy one, and they can operate anything designed for humans (basically, everything). The idea is that the robot can step into existing systems.
This could be a popular product but not a dominant one. Legged robots will not carry your groceries to the car or deliver pizza. They will not be used by the military. They will not be security guards or warehouse workers. They will not be the cheapest.