Feed: Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
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Title: The head of Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot program leaves the company

Date: Sat, 07 Jun 2025 12:00:15 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-head-of...

Milan Kovac, who leads Tesla's Optimus humanoid robotics program, is leaving
the automaker. In a post on X, Milan talked about how he joined Tesla as an
engineer for the core Autopilot team in 2016 and how he started leading the
Optimus group in 2022. He explained that he's leaving his position, because
he's "been far away from home for too long and will need to spend more time
with family abroad." Kovac stressed that it was the only reason he's leaving
and that his support for Elon Musk and the Tesla team was "ironclad," perhaps
insinuating that his decision had nothing to do with Musk's politics or
recent fallout with the president.

Tesla first announced that it was working on a humanoid robot in 2021, though
it wasn't able to debut an actual prototype until a year a later in 2022.
Musk said back then Optimus will be able to move at 5 mph and carry loads up
to 45 pounds. He also said that he expects it to sell for $20,000 each when
built at volume and claimed that the machines can give the company a $25
trillion market cap. Since then, Tesla has demonstrated Optimus' ability to
handle an egg, cook meals, fold the laundry and throw the trash. The robot
doesn't have a solid release date yet. Musk said back in April that the
robot's production had been affected by China's export restrictions of rare
earth magnets, so it's most likely not going to be anytime soon.

Bloomberg, which reported Kovac's departure first, said he's leaving the
company immediately. Ashok Elluswamy, who's leading the company's Autopilot
group, is taking over his responsibilities.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-
tech/the-head-of-teslas-optimus-humanoid-robot-program-leaves-the-company-
120015282.html?src=rss

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