Tesla Optimus Robots Face Manufacturing, AI and Supply Chain Challenges

Tesla is reportedly facing manufacturing, sensor reliability, artificial intelligence and supply chain challenges as it works to develop its Optimus humanoid robot.

Tesla is modifying newly manufactured Optimus robots

Imperfect and manual manufacturing processes require immediate modifications to newly manufactured robots. The Optimus robot’s hand touch sensors have also proved unreliable enough that Tesla developed a glove-like sensor layer that can be replaced without replacing the entire robot hand.

The Information has also reported that Optimus’ AI capabilities remain insufficient for general-purpose tasks. That challenge is not unique to Tesla, as robotics companies continue to work toward creating robots capable of operating reliably in unpredictable environments.

For now, one source told The Information that Tesla’s Optimus robot requires programming to perform specific tasks in a carefully controlled environment.

Optimus needs more training data for manual tasks

Obtaining enough training data is one of the biggest challenges facing humanoid robotics companies. Robots need to visually learn how people perform a wide range of manual tasks, and Tesla relies heavily on imitation learning to develop those capabilities.

To collect data, Tesla had factory workers in Texas and California wear special suits designed to record their body movements while they worked. However, The Information reported that some workers were dissatisfied because they “knew the robots were designed to eventually replace them.”

Tesla appears to have shifted responsibility for data collection to dedicated teams and established a “training hub” for those workers.

Tesla’s humanoid robot supply chain still relies on China

The Information also reported that Tesla continues to depend on Chinese suppliers for various Optimus components. Previous reporting described a Silicon Valley startup bringing robot parts from China into the United States in packages.

The U.S. robotics industry’s dependence on China continues despite efforts by the Trump administration to expand domestic supply chains and robot production. In July, the Federal Communications Commission banned new foreign-made robots, including humanoid robots, quadrupedal robot dogs and robotic vacuum cleaners.

Tesla faces growing humanoid robot competition

Many of Tesla’s reported humanoid robot manufacturing challenges are common across the industry. However, they could be particularly significant as Tesla faces competition from automakers in China, Japan and South Korea, as well as specialized robotics companies developing humanoid robots.

Toyota plans to invest billions of dollars to renovate its factories with robots, including some humanoid models. Hyundai Motor plans to deploy up to 25,000 Atlas humanoid robots developed by its U.S. subsidiary, Boston Dynamics, over the next few years.

Humanoid robots still need to prove their business case

One of the companies furthest along in commercial humanoid robot deployment is Oregon-based Agility Robotics. The company first put its robots to work in a GXO Logistics warehouse in the Atlanta area in 2024.

Even so, the overall business case for humanoid robots has yet to be proven through sustainable, cost-effective deployment. Robotics companies must also demonstrate that humanoid robots can operate safely around people.