Latest news with #Optimus
NDTV
an hour ago
- Automotive
- NDTV
Elon Musk Says First Tesla Drove Itself From Factory to Customer
Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said a Tesla Model Y SUV drove itself from the company's factory near Austin to a customer's home in the company's latest move to showcase its push into autonomous driving. In a post on X, Musk announced the company had made an autonomous delivery of a Tesla Model Y from factory to a customer's home, noting the delivery was made "across town," and included highways. Musk said the delivery did not include anyone in the car and no remote operators were in control of the car. While the post did not include video or images, Musk posted that video of the event would come soon. World's first autonomous delivery of a car! This Tesla drove itself from Gigafactory Texas to its new owner's home ~30min away — crossing parking lots, highways & the city to reach its new owner — Tesla (@Tesla) June 28, 2025 Tesla's head of AI and autopilot, Ashok Elluswamy said the vehicle reached a max speed of 72 miles per hour. The delivery was one day ahead of the date Musk had earlier set for the first autonomous delivery, June 28, which will be his 54th birthday. Tesla's first autonomous delivery highlights Musk's bet that artificial intelligence and robotics represent the future of his electric car company. It comes days after Tesla began its long-awaited robotaxi service on June 22, offering a select group of influencers and investors rides in a small fleet of self-driving Model Y SUVs in a limited area of Austin. Musk previewed both events in a post earlier this month on X, and has said the company plans to eventually have millions of robotaxis on the road in the future. Musk is counting on eventually churning out large numbers of robotaxis and Optimus humanoid robots to underpin the EV company's next chapter. Sales in key markets including North America and Europe remain sluggish and the company has faced a consumer backlash to Musk's role in US President Donald Trump's administration. Multiple executives have also left the company in recent weeks. The hands-free delivery is an extension of a capability Tesla touted in April, when it posted a videoshowing cars moving autonomously from its Texas assembly lines to logistics lots prior to shipping. It's unclear whether autonomous deliveries will become a meaningful part of Tesla's operations. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Business Standard
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Tesla Model Y makes driverless delivery with no human input, says Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on Saturday that a Tesla Model Y SUV autonomously drove itself from the company's manufacturing facility near Austin, Texas, to the buyer's residence. The hands-free journey, according to Musk, involved highway driving and occurred with no one inside the vehicle — neither passengers nor remote operators were involved. In a post on X, Musk revealed, 'Across town, no human in the car, no remote control,' highlighting the significance of this development in Tesla's autonomous ambitions. Though no images or videos were initially shared, Musk indicated that footage of the trip would be released soon. Milestone follows limited robotaxi launch The fully autonomous delivery closely follows Tesla's limited rollout of its robotaxi service on June 22 in Austin. The robotaxi programme, which functions as a no-human cab service, is currently available only to a select group of investors and influencers, and operates within a limited area using self-driving Model Y vehicles. Musk had teased the launch of both the robotaxi service and the autonomous delivery events earlier in June via social media. The billionaire entrepreneur has repeatedly stated his vision of a future dominated by robotaxis and humanoid robots like Optimus, as Tesla seeks to reduce dependence on traditional car sales. The company is betting heavily on software and automation to drive future revenue, Bloomberg reported. However, Tesla's traditional electric vehicle (EV) business is facing headwinds. Sales have slowed in major markets such as North America and Europe, aggravated by Musk's polarising political stance — he backed Trump during the 2020 US presidential elections and briefly headed the Department of Government Efficiency — and growing competition from Chinese EV manufacturers. Meanwhile, internal turbulence at the carmaker continues with a series of high-profile executive departures. Safety concerns prompt regulatory scrutiny PTI reported. These included vehicles making sudden stops, driving on the wrong side of the road, and heading straight through intersections from turn-only lanes. 'NHTSA is aware of the referenced incidents and is in contact with the manufacturer to gather additional information,' the agency said in a statement. Leadership exits reflect shifting priorities Adding to the uncertainty is the wave of executive exits at the carmaker. Two days ago, Omead Afshar, a close aide of Musk's and former head of manufacturing and sales operations in Europe and North America, quit the firm, Reuters reported. Afshar's departure follows a broader leadership overhaul at Tesla over the past year, driven by Musk's cost-cutting initiatives and strategic pivot toward robotics and autonomy. Outgoing executives include CFO Zach Kirkhorn, battery engineering lead Drew Baglino, and Rebecca Tinucci, who oversaw Tesla's Supercharging division. (With agency inputs)
Business Times
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- Business Times
Elon Musk says first Tesla drove itself from factory to customer
[AUSTIN] Tesla chief executive Elon Musk said a Tesla Model Y SUV drove itself from the company's factory near Austin to a customer's home in the company's latest move to showcase its push into autonomous driving. In a post on X, Musk announced the company made an autonomous delivery of a Tesla Model Y from factory to a customer's home, noting the delivery was made 'across town', and included highways. Musk said the delivery did not include anyone in the car and no remote operators were in control of the car. While the post did not include video or images, Musk posted that a video of the event would come soon. Tesla's head of artificial intelligence (AI) and autopilot, Ashok Elluswamy, said the vehicle reached a max speed of 72 miles per hour (116 km per hour). The delivery was one day ahead of the date Musk had earlier set for the first autonomous delivery, Jun 28, which will be his 54th birthday. Tesla's first autonomous delivery highlights Musk's bet that AI and robotics represent the future of his electric car company. It comes days after Tesla began its long-awaited robotaxi service on Jun 22, offering a select group of influencers and investors rides in a small fleet of self-driving Model Y SUVs in a limited area of Austin. Musk previewed both events in a post earlier this month on X, and has said the company plans to eventually have millions of robotaxis on the road in the future. Musk is counting on eventually churning out large numbers of robotaxis and Optimus humanoid robots to underpin the electric vehicle company's next chapter. Sales in key markets including North America and Europe remain sluggish and the company has faced a consumer backlash to Musk's role in US President Donald Trump's administration. Multiple executives have also left the company in recent weeks. The hands-free delivery is an extension of a capability Tesla touted in April, when it posted a video showing cars moving autonomously from its Texas assembly lines to logistics lots prior to shipping. It's unclear whether autonomous deliveries will become a meaningful part of Tesla's operations. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. BLOOMBERG
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Musk Dismissed Longtime Aide Afshar From Tesla, Reports Say
Tesla CEO Elon Musk reportedly fired his longtime aide Omead Afshar after sales in the EV maker's key markets slumped this year. The departure comes after Musk announced his intent to refocus on his companies following a backlash to his political activities. Shares of Tesla have lost roughly a fifth of their value since the start of the (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk has reportedly fired his longtime aide Omead Afshar after sales in the EV maker's key markets slumped this year. Afshar, Tesla's head of operations in North America and Europe, was let go 'amid declining sales in both regions and the electric vehicle brand's falling popularity,' Forbes reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Afshar couldn't immediately be reached for comment. He posted on X on Monday praising Musk following last weekend's robotaxi launch in Austin, Texas. 'Thank you, Elon, for pushing us all!' he wrote on the Musk-owned social media platform. The Forbes report of Afshar's termination follows a Bloomberg report that the executive, who was promoted last year, had 'left' the firm. The report also said that Jenna Ferrua, Tesla's director of human resources for North America, had left. Milan Kovac, the head of engineering for the company's Optimus humanoid robot program, left the company recently as well, according to Bloomberg. Tesla didn't immediately respond to an Investopedia request for comment. The departures come after Musk announced his intent to refocus on his companies following a backlash to his role leading the Trump administration's cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. The company is also grappling with a slump in global deliveries, with declining sales in Europe and China, which are key markets, and a fleet of older vehicles. Tesla shares, which entered Friday down almost 20% this year, were up about 1% in recent trading. CORRECTION—This article has been updated since it was first published to reflect Afshar posted on X Monday. Read the original article on Investopedia Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
2 Tech Stocks I'd Buy and Never Sell
Meta's $14.3 billion Scale AI deal signals a dramatic shift from social media to superintelligence development. Tesla's robotaxi launch and Optimus production represent the company's transformation from automaker to AI robotics powerhouse. Both companies are making massive investments that could redefine their entire business models over the next decade. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › Everyone thinks they know what Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) and Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) are -- a social media company and an electric vehicle (EV) maker. But what if I told you that's like calling Amazon a bookstore? The real story is far more intriguing, and it's unfolding right now. Here's why these two tech giants deserve a permanent spot in your portfolio. Mark Zuckerberg is spending money like a man possessed. The Facebook founder just dropped $14.3 billion to acquire 49% of Scale AI, bringing its CEO Alexandr Wang aboard to lead a new superintelligence lab. He's offering $100 million signing bonuses to poach OpenAI engineers. When Sam Altman says your rival CEO is personally emailing his team with "crazy" offers, you know something extraordinary is happening. This isn't desperation -- it's calculation. Meta has quietly built one of the most impressive artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructures on the planet. The company's Llama models pioneered the open-source approach to large language models, fundamentally different from the closed systems at OpenAI and Anthropic. While critics fixate on Meta's recent AI stumbles, they're missing the forest for the trees. Consider the talent acquisition alone. Beyond the Scale AI deal, Meta has recruited former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and AI entrepreneur Daniel Gross. The company approached Perplexity AI, Runway, and Safe Superintelligence for potential acquisitions. Zuckerberg himself is making job offers that one AI researcher described as "at least $10,000,000 a year." This isn't hiring -- it's building an AI Manhattan Project. The strategy makes perfect sense when you understand Meta's endgame. The company forecasts its generative AI products will generate between $460 billion and $1.4 trillion in total revenue by 2035. That's not a typo. Meta sees AI agents transforming everything from WhatsApp customer service to Instagram content creation. With 3.3 billion daily active users across its apps, Meta has the distribution advantage that pure play AI companies can only dream about. Wall Street remains skeptical, with Meta's 64% AI talent retention rate trailing competitors. But that misses the point. Meta isn't trying to win the current AI race -- it's changing the track entirely. By combining massive capital deployment, open-source development, and unmatched distribution, Zuckerberg is positioning Meta to own the AI infrastructure layer of the internet. Tesla finally launched its robotaxi service in Austin on June 22, 2025. The rollout was small -- around 10 Model Y vehicles and front-seat riders serving as "safety monitors." Critics called it smoke and mirrors. They're right about the modest start but wrong about what it represents. This isn't about competing with Alphabet's Waymo, which already operates 1,500 robotaxis and provides more than 250,000 paid trips per week across its markets. It's about Tesla's fundamental transformation from an automaker into an AI robotics company. The robotaxi launch is merely the opening act of a much bigger production. The real story is Optimus, Tesla's humanoid robot. Musk plans to produce 5,000 units this year -- what he calls a "legion" of robots. By 2026, that number jumps to 50,000. The robots will start in Tesla factories, handling dangerous and repetitive tasks, before expanding to external customers at a projected price of $20,000 to $30,000 each. Here's what makes Tesla different: vertical integration. The company designs its own AI chips, writes its software, and manufactures at scale. Every component developed for Tesla vehicles -- batteries, motors, AI inference computers -- applies directly to Optimus. Competitors like Boston Dynamics build impressive demos. Tesla builds production lines. The robotaxi service provides the perfect real-world testing ground for Tesla's AI. Every mile driven generates data that improves both autonomous driving and robotic navigation. It's a feedback loop that compounds exponentially. Musk believes Optimus could eventually be "more valuable than everything else combined" at Tesla. Given that humanoid robots could address the global labor shortage while transforming manufacturing, healthcare, and home assistance, that might be conservative. Critics point to Tesla's history of missed deadlines and Musk's "corporate puffery." Fair enough. But they said the same thing about Tesla overtaking legacy automakers in electric vehicles. The company's ability to manufacture at scale, combined with its AI prowess, creates a moat that's nearly impossible to cross. Both Meta and Tesla are making audacious bets on AI that could fail spectacularly. Meta might burn billions on talent that never delivers breakthroughs. Tesla's robots might remain glorified factory tools. But that's precisely why these stocks belong in a never-sell portfolio. These aren't trades -- they're generational investments in the future of technology. And with both companies led by founders willing to risk everything on their vision, selling would be the real mistake. Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you'll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a 'Double Down' stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you're worried you've already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it's too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you'd have $400,193!* Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you'd have $38,264!* Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you'd have $687,731!* Right now, we're issuing 'Double Down' alerts for three incredible companies, available when you join , and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.*Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. George Budwell has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Tesla. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 Tech Stocks I'd Buy and Never Sell was originally published by The Motley Fool
