Tesla’s ambitious plans to produce thousands of its humanoid Optimus robots this year have suffered a blow with the departure of Milan Kovac, the head of engineering for the project. Kovac announced his exit on X (formerly Twitter), stating that his departure is to spend more time with family abroad and that it won’t affect Tesla’s goals.
Despite Kovac’s assurances, the news represents a significant setback for Tesla, particularly given the company’s current challenges in the electric vehicle market. Elon Musk has repeatedly touted Optimus as Tesla’s most crucial product development, emphasizing its importance as EV sales slow and the company’s stock price fluctuates. Musk himself thanked Kovac for his contributions over the past decade, further fueling speculation about the reasons behind the departure.
Adding to the pressure, Tesla aims to produce at least 5,000 Optimus robots by the end of the year, a target that already faced hurdles due to China’s recent restrictions on rare earth mineral exports. These minerals are critical components in the robots’ construction. Bloomberg reports that Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s Autopilot chief, will now oversee the Optimus project, which is currently in a crucial phase of development.
Kovac’s departure underscores the challenges associated with developing advanced robotics. The high-stakes nature of the project, combined with Tesla’s aggressive production targets, may have contributed to the departure. The coming months will reveal whether Tesla can successfully navigate these challenges and meet its ambitious production goals for Optimus.
