Gearhungry logo. Gearhungry logo.
  • Gear
    • Gun Cleaning Kits
    • Pocket & Folding Knives
    • Penlights
    • Slingshots
    • See More
  • Home
    • Essential Oil Diffusers
    • Cold Brew Coffee
    • Tea Makers
    • Hygrometers
    • Meat Cleavers
    • Lunch Boxes
    • See More
  • Tech
    • Shower Speakers
    • Mini Projectors
    • HDMI Cables
    • Smart Doorbells
    • Gadgets
    • Electric Toothbrushes
    • Vertical Mouses
    • CD Players
    • See More
  • Tools
    • Torque Wrenches
    • Tool Chests
    • Torque Screwdrivers
    • Ratchet Screwdrivers
    • Spirit Levels
    • Breaker Bars
    • Tool Bags
    • Cordless Lawn Mowers
    • Locking Pliers
    • Electric Precision Screwdrivers
    • See More
  • Fitness
    • Fitness Gifts
    • Boxing Gloves
    • Gym Equipment for Your Home
    • Curl Bars
    • Barbell Collars
    • Mouthguards
    • Speed Bags for Boxing
    • See More
  • Style
    • Leather Belts
    • Stretch Denim Jeans
    • Trucker Hats
    • Beard Trimmers
    • Men’s Walking Shoes
    • See More
  • Fun & Games
    • Chess Sets
    • Adult Jigsaw Puzzles
    • Graphic Novels for Adults
    • Basketballs
    • Beach Volleyballs
    • Gundam Model Kits
    • LEGO Technic Sets
    • Adult Coloring Books
    • Laser Tag Sets
    • Frisbees
    • See More
  • News
  • Blog
  • More
    • About Us – Learn More About GearHungry
    • Editorial Guidelines: How We Create Reviews and Buyer’s Guides
    • Advertise
    • Brand assets
    • Contact
  • Home
  • News

Tesla Announces Humanoid Robot; Downfall of Humanity Definitely Not Imminent

By Sam Anderson
Last Updated September 3, 2021
Sam Anderson
Sam Anderson has followed a passion for well-told stories and nature's beauty from university classrooms to mountain adventures. After earning a bachelor's degree in literature, he leaned into a life fueled by road tripping, rock climbing, coffee and beer, and renegade camping. He has worked as a chainsaw operator, house carpenter, and window cleaner, at one point running his own window cleaning business. He has finally settled with his girlfriend and small zoo in the western American desert, trading his tool belt for a keyboard.
Learn about The Gearhungry's Editorial Process
GearHungry may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn more

Who would have thought quirky mega-billionaire Elon Musk would be the harbinger of our doom?

Everybody? Survey says that’s correct, especially in light of Tesla’s most recently announced disturbing project, the Tesla Bot. It’s a 5’8”, 125 lb. human-shaped AI robot that operates via Tesla’s self-driving technology. If you’re thinking that sounds a little big and maybe a machine that big is definitely capable of killing you (?) and that gazing into its non-existent face is like reckoning with the permanent void, worry not; Elon’s got your back. During the announcement, he said:

“We’re setting [the Tesla Bot] such that it is at a mechanical level, at a physical level, you can run away from it and most likely overpower it.”

Are the implications of authoritarian global capitalism not scary enough for you? What about the rapidly accelerating effects of climate change? Then maybe the Tesla Bot can stimulate you — if you treat it nice, perhaps even physically so.

The Tesla Touch: Platform and Technology

The Tesla Bot will adapt the company’s Autopilot technology, which will allow it to sense objects and surfaces, and navigate autonomously. In terms of capability, Musk said it would be able to deadlift 150 pounds, carry 45 pounds, and walk at about five mph.

Its featureless face will be a screen that displays information.

“Our cars are semi-sentient robots on wheels,” Musk said, extrapolating that “it kind of makes sense” to install the same software “onto a humanoid form.”

‘Why, Robot?’: Implications

Ideally, Musk said, the Tesla Bot will be relegated to mundane physical labor in industrial or business settings. Ostensibly, it would replace humans who have jobs that entail repetitive or dangerous tasks. Sound familiar?

“It has profound applications for the economy,” Musk said. “In the future, physical work will be a choice.”

The future really is bright! Thanks to the automation of billions of jobs, we will all have the “choice” of whether or not to earn income.

Still, Musk hinted at even bigger plans for his new human-robot baby. The “real test,” he said, would be for the robot to navigate the world freely, without human directives.

The creation he shares the stage within the video is a visual aid only. Musk said a prototype will probably land next year. In other news, Tesla’s self-driving technology is under federal investigation after being implicated in 11 crashes involving emergency vehicles, and it faces massive recalls.

Learn more at Cnet.com.

Share

Sign up for our newsletter
Related Reads
Fun & Games post-thumbnail
Best Robots For Kids in 2022
author-image
by GearHungry Staff
Last updated: September 9, 2018
Home post-thumbnail
Best Robotic Window Cleaners in 2022
author-image
by GearHungry Staff
Last updated: August 1, 2018
Tools post-thumbnail
Reclaim Your Weekends: The Best Robot Lawn Mowers Of 2022
author-image
by Jovana Dosenovic
Last updated: September 1, 2022
Home post-thumbnail
Cleaning Solution: The Best Robot Vacuums of 2022
author-image
by GearHungry Staff
Last updated: April 21, 2021
Tech post-thumbnail
Best Smart Thermostats In 2022
author-image
by GearHungry Staff
Last updated: March 27, 2019
Tech post-thumbnail
Best Smart Scales in 2022
author-image
by GearHungry Staff
Last updated: November 3, 2018
Tech post-thumbnail
Best Smart Locks in 2022
author-image
by GearHungry Staff
Last updated: September 10, 2018
Fun & Games post-thumbnail
Best Lego Robots in 2022
author-image
by GearHungry Staff
Last updated: July 22, 2018
Fun & Games post-thumbnail
Best Transformer Toys in 2022
author-image
by GearHungry Staff
Last updated: August 27, 2018
Sign Up Now
GET THE VERY BEST OF GEARHUNGRY STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX
Gearhungry logo
  • Home
  • About Us – Learn More About GearHungry
  • Contact
GearHungry – West Hollywood, California
8605 Santa Monica Blvd
PMB 30337
West Hollywood, California 90069-4109 US
GearHungry – Denver, Colorado
1624 Market St Ste 226
PMB 30337
Denver, Colorado 80202-1559 US
GearHungry ©2025 Privacy policy Affiliate Disclosure
DMCA.com Protection Status