In a surprising turn of events, the head of Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot program, Milan Kovac, is leaving the company. This news was reported by Bloomberg News and has raised questions about the future of the ambitious project. Kovac's departure comes at a pivotal moment, as Tesla CEO Elon Musk has made bold claims regarding the company's plans for the Optimus robots, stating that they will have “thousands” of these humanoid robots operational in their factories by the end of this year.
Elon Musk recently expressed his vision for the Optimus robot, emphasizing the company’s goal to scale production faster than any other product in history. “We expect to scale Optimus up faster than any product, I think, in history, to get to millions of units per year as soon as possible,” Musk stated last month. This ambitious timeline highlights Tesla's commitment to advancing robotics technology and integrating it into their manufacturing processes.
Milan Kovac has been a key figure at Tesla for nearly a decade, primarily serving as a top engineer on the Autopilot team. His expertise and leadership were instrumental in the development of the Optimus project, which he began overseeing in 2022. By late 2024, Kovac had risen to the position of vice president, where he played a crucial role in steering the engineering teams responsible for the humanoid robot.
On his LinkedIn profile, Kovac highlighted his responsibilities, stating, “I’m driving the Optimus program (Tesla’s humanoid robot) & all its engineering teams.” He further noted his involvement with the engineering teams focused on the software foundations and infrastructure that support both Optimus and Autopilot. With his exit, there are concerns about the continuity of the program and its ambitious goals.
In light of Kovac's departure, Ashok Elluswamy, who serves as the vice president of Tesla’s AI software division, will take over the leadership of the Optimus project. This transition is critical as Tesla aims to maintain momentum in its robotics initiatives amidst the changes in leadership. Elluswamy's experience with AI software may bring a new perspective to the development of the Optimus humanoid robot.
The future of Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot program remains to be seen, but with Musk’s ambitious plans and Elluswamy at the helm, the company is poised to continue its pursuit of innovation in the field of robotics.
