The head of Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot program, Milan Kovac, has announced his resignation from Tesla, Bloomberg reports. According to sources, he is leaving the company immediately, and Ashok Elluswamy, who heads Tesla's autopilot group, will take over his duties.
Kovac confirmed his decision on the social network X, calling it "the most difficult in my life." He explained that he was resigning due to the need to spend more time with his family at home, abroad. Kovac stressed that his dismissal was not related to any other reasons. He also added that his support for Elon Musk and the Tesla team is unwavering and that his dismissal will not affect the development of the Optimus project.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, thanked Kovac on the social network X for his great contribution to the company and added that it was an honor for him to collaborate with Kovach.
Milan Kovacs joined Tesla in 2016 as an engineer on the Autopilot team, and in 2022 he was already leading the Optimus project. Under his leadership, some of the capabilities of Tesla's humanoid robot were demonstrated, including the ability to carry objects, fold clothes and even dance. Musk previously said that Optimus could become a key product for Tesla, capable of bringing the company a market capitalization of $ 25 trillion.
Despite the ambitious plans, the exact release date for Optimus remains unknown. Musk previously said that production of the robot was being delayed by China's export restrictions on rare-earth magnets. He said that Tesla is in talks with Chinese authorities, hoping to gain permission to access the necessary materials.