Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense Crime, Digital Desk : Ashok Elluswamy, an engineer of Indian origin and a key figure in Tesla's Autopilot development, has been announced as the head of the company's ambitious Optimus humanoid robot project. This significant appointment was highlighted by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has previously praised Elluswamy as the very first engineer recruited for the Autopilot team through a social media call-out.
Elluswamy, an alumnus of the College of Engineering, Guindy in Chennai, and Carnegie Mellon University where he earned his Master's degree, brings a wealth of experience to this challenging new role. His journey includes stints at WABCO Vehicle Control Systems and the Volkswagen Electronic Research Lab before he joined Tesla to work on its groundbreaking autonomous driving technology.
The Optimus project, also commonly referred to as the Tesla Bot, aims to create a general-purpose, bipedal humanoid robot. Elon Musk envisions Optimus eventually taking over tasks that are repetitive, boring, or dangerous for humans. He has boldly suggested that the robotics division could, in the long run, become more valuable than Tesla's renowned electric vehicle business.
This tweet 9 years ago was how I started the Autopilot, now AI, team at Tesla.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 2, 2025
Ashok, who now leads the team, was the first person I interviewed.
Milan, who leads Optimus, also joined very early.
Many of the key people in Tesla AI have been there from the beginning. https://t.co/yck84sSS0X
First unveiled in August 2021, the Optimus robot has already seen several development stages. A prototype, nicknamed "Bumblebee," was showcased in September 2022. More recently, in December 2023, Tesla revealed a more advanced second-generation Optimus, which is lighter, boasts faster movements, and features significantly improved hand dexterity, including sensors on all fingers.
With Elluswamy at the helm, the Optimus project is poised to accelerate its development. His proven expertise in AI and autonomous systems, honed through his leadership in the Autopilot division, makes him a natural fit to spearhead this futuristic endeavor. This move underscores Tesla's commitment to pushing the boundaries of robotics and artificial intelligence, with an India-origin engineer now leading one of its most transformative initiatives.
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