Tesla is not stopping at a car that can hover in the air. Elon Musk's company is advancing two other projects, humanoid robots and autonomous taxis, that may change the future of transport and labor more than the flying vehicle that grabbed headlines.
The new Roadster, unveiled on 15 October, performed short airborne manoeuvres using thrusters based on SpaceX technology. It is not a flying car in the conventional sense and cannot sustain flight like an aircraft. Production is scheduled to begin in 2028.
At the same time, Tesla is developing Optimus, a humanoid robot designed to carry out routine, repetitive or dangerous physical tasks. The company hopes the robot will assist in factories, warehouses and eventually homes, though it remains in development and has not reached wide commercial deployment.
