Elon Musk Accused of Copying by Sci-Fi Director: ‘My Robots’ vs Cybercab & Optimus Drama!

While Tesla’s Robovan may be capable of autonomous operation, a certain science fiction director suggests Elon Musk himself may not be as original.

Last Thursday, Musk showcased the latest offerings from Tesla, which included the autonomous electric bus, the self-driving Cybercab, and a robotic humanoid known as the Optimus, or Tesla bot. However, these state-of-the-art designs seem to bear an uncanny resemblance to those featured in a science fiction film from 20 years ago.

The director of “I, Robot,” Alex Proyas, took a dig at Musk on Sunday, accusing him of copying his designs in a tweet. Proyas juxtaposed images from his 2004 flick with the recent unveiling of Tesla products at the “We, Robot” event – a title clearly inspired by the Isaac Asimov short story collection that formed the basis of Proyas’ film.

“Hey Elon, Can I have my designs back please?” Proyas humorously posted, which received a mixed response.

One Twitter user responded, stating: “Elon has no ideas of his own … and no leadership ability.”

Another user counteracted, asserting: “Be happy that somebody will actually have a decent shot at putting this into production. We all know that you wouldn’t.”

As of Monday, neither Proyas nor Musk had responded to The Times’ request for comment.

This isn’t the first time a Tesla product has been likened to a film prop, as reported by Deadline. The Cybertruck, revealed in 2019, was likened to the futuristic vehicle from Paul Verhoeven’s “Total Recall.”

But this isn’t the first instance of art imitating life in the realm of science fiction. Pixar’s “Wall-E” influenced the design of modern garbage-collecting robots, and the earpiece radios in “Fahrenheit 451” bear a striking resemblance to today’s wireless earbuds.

During the event, which was initially set for August but had to be moved due to technical adjustments, Musk expressed his intentions to revolutionize transportation with his self-driving taxi and van. He announced that Tesla would introduce fully autonomous vehicles by next year.

The founder of SpaceX also stated that his Optimus robots, which were programmed to flash peace signs and serve drinks to event attendees, would make goods and services more affordable and accessible, according to a report by The Times on Friday.

“It will be an age of abundance, the likes of which almost no one has envisioned,” Musk declared to the audience.

However, investors seem to have doubts about Musk’s grand vision. As of Friday, Tesla stock was trading at roughly $219.50, marking an 8% drop for the day.