Tesla CEO Elon Musk has responded to his mother, Maye Musk , about the engineering challenges involved in developing robot hands. Replying to a video showing an Optimus robot hand doing complicated gestures during Tesla’s latest shareholder meeting earlier this month, the mother of the world’s richest person wrote: “ Elon told me a few times that the hand is the most difficult part of the robot. 🖐️👏👏”. Replying to this, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said, “This is just the V2 Optimus hand. The V3 hand is another level beyond this. Exquisite engineering.” Earlier, Musk has predicted that the Optimus robot will be Tesla’s “biggest ever product”.
Tesla’s Optimus V2 features a 22-degree-of-freedom (DoF) design that allows for more natural movements, such as peace signs and fist bumps. The V2 hand represents progress following production delays in October 2025 related to dexterity challenges. Studies in robotics, including those published in IEEE Transactions on Robotics, suggest that human-like hand manipulation typically requires more than 20 DoF, an ability the Optimus V2 now demonstrates in tasks such as piano playing and juggling.
Elon Musk has also hinted at the upcoming Optimus V3 hand, describing it as significantly more advanced. Tesla’s production roadmap includes plans to manufacture around 1 million units in Fremont and up to 100 million in Texas by 2027 to support broader deployment and automation-driven productivity growth.
Last month, during Tesla’s earnings call, Musk said the company’s humanoid robot, Optimus, may eventually be capable of performing surgical tasks. He added that, when paired with Tesla’s autonomous driving technology, Optimus could help expand access to healthcare and reduce poverty. Musk also confirmed plans to unveil the Optimus V3 prototype in early 2026.
Musk also outlined a long-term vision where the company’s humanoid robot, Optimus, could help reduce poverty and make healthcare more accessible. He described this within Tesla’s broader mission of achieving “sustainable abundance” through automation, in which robots handle routine labour and humans focus on higher-value tasks. Musk suggested Optimus could eventually perform surgical operations, though the idea remains speculative.
Introduced in 2021, Optimus builds on Tesla’s expertise in vehicle manufacturing and AI. Demonstrations so far have shown only limited tasks, such as handling objects and walking, with Musk stating that Version 3 is expected in early 2026. Scaling production to a million units annually remains a key goal.
While Musk envisions robots transforming labour and healthcare, experts note that achieving human-level dexterity, regulatory approval for medical use, and large-scale production are significant challenges. Tesla’s shift from clean energy to robotics signals its evolving focus on AI-driven automation.
In May, Musk shared a video showing the Optimus robot performing everyday household tasks, reflecting Tesla’s ambition to develop AI-powered home assistants capable of carrying out routine activities with precision. Optimus was seen completing chores such as stirring a pot, vacuuming floors, and wiping a table, all while carefully following given instructions.
Tesla’s Optimus V2 features a 22-degree-of-freedom (DoF) design that allows for more natural movements, such as peace signs and fist bumps. The V2 hand represents progress following production delays in October 2025 related to dexterity challenges. Studies in robotics, including those published in IEEE Transactions on Robotics, suggest that human-like hand manipulation typically requires more than 20 DoF, an ability the Optimus V2 now demonstrates in tasks such as piano playing and juggling.
Elon Musk has also hinted at the upcoming Optimus V3 hand, describing it as significantly more advanced. Tesla’s production roadmap includes plans to manufacture around 1 million units in Fremont and up to 100 million in Texas by 2027 to support broader deployment and automation-driven productivity growth.
Elon told me a few times that the hand is the most difficult part of the robot. 🖐️👏👏 https://t.co/RB9x8EwZiG
— Maye Musk (@mayemusk) November 6, 2025
Last month, during Tesla’s earnings call, Musk said the company’s humanoid robot, Optimus, may eventually be capable of performing surgical tasks. He added that, when paired with Tesla’s autonomous driving technology, Optimus could help expand access to healthcare and reduce poverty. Musk also confirmed plans to unveil the Optimus V3 prototype in early 2026.
Musk also outlined a long-term vision where the company’s humanoid robot, Optimus, could help reduce poverty and make healthcare more accessible. He described this within Tesla’s broader mission of achieving “sustainable abundance” through automation, in which robots handle routine labour and humans focus on higher-value tasks. Musk suggested Optimus could eventually perform surgical operations, though the idea remains speculative.
Introduced in 2021, Optimus builds on Tesla’s expertise in vehicle manufacturing and AI. Demonstrations so far have shown only limited tasks, such as handling objects and walking, with Musk stating that Version 3 is expected in early 2026. Scaling production to a million units annually remains a key goal.
While Musk envisions robots transforming labour and healthcare, experts note that achieving human-level dexterity, regulatory approval for medical use, and large-scale production are significant challenges. Tesla’s shift from clean energy to robotics signals its evolving focus on AI-driven automation.
In May, Musk shared a video showing the Optimus robot performing everyday household tasks, reflecting Tesla’s ambition to develop AI-powered home assistants capable of carrying out routine activities with precision. Optimus was seen completing chores such as stirring a pot, vacuuming floors, and wiping a table, all while carefully following given instructions.
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