Tesla’s Optimus robot is getting better at simple tasks. Robyn Denholm (Tesla’s board chair), shared that Optimus can now fold laundry, wipe tables, and hand things to people. People in Tesla’s Palo Alto offices are working with it daily. She added, “You can actually shake hands with him. The tactile nature of his hand is actually really very good.” Still, these skills work best in neat spaces, and longer tests in messy places are needed.
Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm on Optimus: Video
Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm on Optimus: "Optimus can fold laundry. I've actually been in the lab. He can wipe the table down. You can actually shake hands with him. The tactile nature of his hand is actually very good. We're redefining robotics." pic.twitter.com/Q4qP0mJg6U
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) October 27, 2025
Better walking and object handling
The robot walks better now, too. Its steps look more like a person’s stride, instead of small jerky moves. It can open cabinets, tear paper towels, and take out trash bags. Optimus even placed a component for a Tesla car onto a dolly at the factory. While these actions look smooth, the robot still works with known objects and planned lighting. It hasn’t proved itself in cluttered homes or busy work sites just yet.
Tesla gave Optimus stronger, more flexible hands. Gen 3 hands use 22 degrees of freedom, which lets each finger and hand move in more directions. This helps it grab different shapes and textures with better control.
Tesla focus is speed and cost. The plan is to sell Optimus for $20,000 to $30,000. That’s less than most new cars. If Tesla can keep costs down, more people and companies might use robots like this for help with small daily jobs. For now, the robot mostly does simple chores in offices and test labs. Making it work well in unpredictable places is still a goal that’s out of reach.
Musk hopes Optimus will handle even important jobs one day, such as helping doctors in surgery. He said the robot might become one of Tesla’s most important products. He also predicts that nearly “80% of Tesla’s future value will come from Optimus and related AI businesses.” Before this vision is real, Optimus needs to handle longer tasks, bigger payloads, and lots of surprises. Engineers test it using AI that learns from videos of people doing chores, so Optimus can copy their moves. Even with these advances, Tesla has more work ahead before the robot fits into everyday life.
You may also like to read:
- Tesla to launch Optimus V3 robot in early 2026 »
- Tesla robotaxi app rolls out new airport features »
- Tesla’s FSD v14 acts human in Costco parking lot »
We’ve launched an official Tesla Owners Online Forum. Join early and claim your "Founding Fuel" badge.
