Tesla Building Teleoperations Team For Robotaxi and Optimus

Tesla is ramping up its efforts to deploy a robotaxi service and Optimus humanoid robot by hiring top talent for its teleoperations team. A new job posting on Tesla’s careers page reveals that the automaker is hiring C++ software engineers to develop teleoperation systems that enable human operators to remotely control and guide autonomous vehicles and robots.

According to the job listing, Tesla’s teleoperation system is designed to provide real-time remote access to its Cybercab robotaxis and Optimus robots. Operators will utilize state-of-the-art virtual reality (VR) rigs to immerse themselves in the robot’s or vehicle’s environment. This allows them to perform intricate tasks, troubleshoot edge cases, and intervene when the AI encounters challenges, such as navigating construction zones or resolving unexpected hardware issues. These efforts are crucial for achieving Level 4 autonomy, defined as vehicles operating independently under specific conditions without human intervention.

The development of this teleoperation system represents a shift in Tesla’s approach to autonomy. While CEO Elon Musk has long championed Tesla’s ability to achieve full self-driving capability through advanced neural networks and vision-based systems, the introduction of teleoperations acknowledges the current limitations of AI and the need for human oversight in complex scenarios, at least while the system is being fully developed.

Tesla has announced plans to launch its robotaxi service in California and Texas in 2025. This fleet will first launch with Tesla’s two high volume products, the Model 3 and Model Y, before expanding to the rest of the lineup and eventually the Cybercab, a vehicle designed without a steering wheel or pedals. While production of the Cybercab is slated to begin in 2026 or 2027, the introduction of teleoperations ensures that Tesla can address immediate safety and operational challenges as the service rolls out.

Beyond robotaxis, Tesla’s teleoperations system will also support the Optimus humanoid robot, which has already demonstrated its utility in Tesla’s manufacturing facilities. During the “We, Robot” event in October, Optimus robots, controlled remotely via teleoperation, performing tasks like mixing drinks and interacting with guests.