Tesla’s Optimus robot hits production snags, hands still assembled by hand

Tesla’s Optimus rollout stalls in September 2026

Tesla announced that its humanoid Optimus robot is far from the 20,000‑a‑week output Elon Musk has touted. In September 2026, reports indicate the company is still assembling the robot’s hands manually, and weekly production remains at “several hundred robots” rather than the target figure.

Production bottlenecks and technical hurdles

• Production volume: After repurposing Model S and Model X assembly lines earlier this year, Tesla managed only a few hundred Optimus units per week last month, far short of the 20,000‑per‑week goal.
• Precision parts: Optimus components are smaller and require tighter tolerances than automotive parts, creating alignment issues on the new production lines.
• Hand assembly: The V3 version of Optimus features hands and forearms with more than 100 screws and tiny components each, all of which currently need a human worker to assemble.
• Missing “sensing glove”: The robot lacks a yet‑to‑be‑released sensing glove that would let technicians replace touch sensors without swapping the entire hand, limiting durability.
• Design changes: Newer Optimus units are lighter and carry more cameras than earlier prototypes, but they are still confined to internal tasks in limited areas and are not yet available for remote teleoperation.
• Commercial strategy: Tesla plans to lease the robots initially, using the data collected during lease periods to refine the product before any broader sales.

Industry backdrop and regulatory headwinds

While Tesla wrestles with its humanoid robot’s manufacturing kinks, other robotics developers are pivoting toward less lifelike designs. Additionally, Chinese regulators have begun restricting IPO listings for companies focused on humanoid robotics, signaling heightened scrutiny for the sector worldwide.