Tesla's recent "We, Robot" event showcased new products and stirred up controversy. The company unveiled the Cybercab, a self-driving car for consumers, the Robovan, a 20-person people carrier, and updated versions of its Optimus humanoid robots.
The event caught the eye of Alex Proyas, director of the 2004 sci-fi movie "I, Robot." Proyas took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his concerns about the designs. He wrote, "Hey Elon, Can I have my designs back, please?"
People noticed similarities between Tesla's new products and vehicles from the movie. The Robovan looked a lot like the unmanned delivery vehicles in "I, Robot," while the Cybertaxi resembled the protagonist's self-driving car.
Matt Granger, who worked as Proyas' assistant on "I, Robot," also criticized Musk. In a now-deleted post, Granger expressed his displeasure with what he saw as a lack of creativity.
The event's name, "We, Robot," seemed to draw inspiration from the movie "I, Robot." The irony didn't escape observers, as the film warns about the dangers of robots and AI.
This wasn't the first time Tesla's designs have been compared to other vehicles. The Cybercab has previously been likened to Volkswagen's VW XL1.
In "I, Robot," the futuristic car was called the Audi RSQ concept. The movie car had some unique features like spheres instead of wheels, covers similar to Tesla's design, and butterfly doors. Unlike Tesla's all-electric approach, the movie car had a 5.0-liter V10 gas engine.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter