Tesla Optimus VP Departs | Robotics Update
- Milan Kovac, Tesla's vice president of Optimus robotics, announced his departure from the company on Friday, ending an eight-year tenure.
- Tesla is actively developing Optimus, a bipedal, bright robot designed for various tasks, from factory work to caregiving.
- The resignation comes as Tesla ramps up its efforts in the humanoid robot field.
Tesla’s Optimus robotics VP, Milan Kovac, resigns after eight years, shaking up the company’s ambitious humanoid robot initiative. Kovac’s departure, announced on Friday, marks a significant shift as Tesla ramps up its efforts with the Optimus project, a bipedal robot designed for diverse applications. The article explores Kovac’s thanks to Elon Musk, and Musk has previously stated that Optimus could increase Tesla’s market cap to $25 trillion. tesla aims to begin deploying Optimus within its factories by 2025, making Kovac’s leave a pivotal moment. News Directory 3 has the latest updates on this developing story. With competition rising in the robotics sector, what does this mean for the future of the Optimus program? Discover what’s next …
Tesla Optimus Robotics VP Resigns Amid Robot Development
Updated June 06, 2025
Milan Kovac, Tesla’s vice president of Optimus robotics, announced his departure from the company on Friday, ending an eight-year tenure. Kovac, who previously served as director of Autopilot software engineering, took the helm of the optimus unit in 2022.
Tesla is actively developing Optimus, a bipedal, bright robot designed for various tasks, from factory work to caregiving. The company anticipates initial builds of Optimus on its Fremont pilot production line in 2025, with broader deployment across its factories.
The resignation comes as Tesla ramps up its efforts in the humanoid robot field. elon Musk has stated that Optimus robots could propel Tesla’s market capitalization to $25 trillion. Recent updates include training Optimus to perform basic actions like picking up objects and opening doors.
Kovac expressed gratitude to Tesla CEO Elon Musk in a post on X, formerly Twitter, for his mentorship. He credited Musk with teaching him valuable engineering principles and resilience.
“I wont to thank @elonmusk from the bottom of my heart for his trust and teachings over the decade we’ve worked together,” Kovac wrote. “Elon, you’ve taught me to discern signal from noise, hardcore resilience, and many fundamental principles of engineering. I am forever grateful. Tesla will win, I guarantee you that.”
Musk acknowledged Kovac’s contributions to Tesla, thanking him for his work. Tesla has not yet commented on Kovac’s departure or its plans for replacing him.
Tesla faces competition in the robotics sector from companies like boston Dynamics, Agility Robotics, Apptronik, 1X, and Figure.
What’s next
Tesla is expected to continue developing and refining its Optimus robot, focusing on expanding its capabilities and preparing for deployment in its factories. The company’s progress in the humanoid robot field will be closely watched as it aims to realize Musk’s ambitious vision for Optimus robots and their impact on Tesla’s future.