Robotics

Following Tesla’s stock plunge and CEO Elon Musk’s challenges, Optimus project leader Milan Kovac unexpectedly departed, citing personal reasons. Kovac, a key figure in Tesla’s Autopilot and Optimus development, played a pivotal role for a decade. His successor, Ashok Elluswamy, is now VP of AI Software. This departure adds to Tesla’s difficulties amidst declining revenue, profit and anticipated drop in EV deliveries, raising concerns about the future of Optimus and Musk’s ambitious goals.

Amazon is testing humanoid robots for package delivery, aiming to automate last-mile logistics. Leveraging technology from Chinese firms like Unitree Robotics, DeepSeek, and Alibaba, Amazon is building a simulated environment to assess robot performance in complex delivery scenarios. The initiative combines hardware and software to enhance robots’ capabilities, aiming to replace human delivery personnel and integrate robots with Rivian electric delivery vans. This move underscores the growing influence of Chinese technology in global automation.

Xiaomi’s founder, Lei Jun, revealed strategic updates, hinting at a transformed approach to the EV market. The YU7 model’s pricing deviates from initial speculations. Xiaomi aims for automotive division profitability as early as Q3/Q4, driven by technological innovation. The company invests heavily in AD and chip design to boost competitiveness. Robotics are also making progress, while Xiaomi maintains a 5% profit margin on hardware, signaling disruption in the competitive landscape.

At ICRA in Atlanta, a Chinese company debuted its advanced tactile-sensing technology, DM-Tac W and DM-Hand1, attracting attention from experts. The sensors, featuring high-resolution visual-tactile capabilities, enable robots to perform complex tasks like adaptive grasping and handling fragile objects. Based on research from HKUST, the company’s innovation marks the first large-scale export of Chinese visual-tactile products.

Honor CEO Li Jian announced the company’s entry into robotics, highlighting a prototype robot capable of 4 meters per second, potentially surpassing competitors like Unitree Robotics. This launch, backed by a $10 billion investment over five years, follows Honor’s “Alpha Strategy” focusing on AI and robotics. Subsidiaries like Guiyang and Harbin Xingyao Terminal Co., Ltd. have been established to support their robotics endeavors, indicating a growing trend in the smart hardware market.

Honor CEO Li Jian launched the “Global Million Eagles Program” and opened a personal microblog for direct engagement. The event also showcased Honor’s robotics, highlighting a platform achieving a new running speed benchmark. The upcoming Honor 400 series was previewed, with an emphasis on user feedback, challenging established market leaders. Li, formerly of Huawei, has a strong background in strategic management.