‘I, Robot’ Director Accuses Tesla Of Copying Designs For Optimus, Cybercab And Robovan

As with most things Tesla, their latest showcase drew its fair share of attention from fans and controversy from skeptics. The “We, Robot” event revealed Tesla’s new Cybercab, a self-driving car that will be offered to consumers. Also uncovered was a 20-person people carrier dubbed the Robovan as well as a better look at the company’s new Optimus robots.

But while the internet continues to rage over just how much of the Optimus robots’ demonstration was real versus remote control and the proposed timelines for the taxi, more doubt has been cast over the originality of all three products demoed.

Read: 5 Surprising Similarities Between Tesla’s Cybercab And VW’s XL1

Musk’s “We, Robot” event was clearly influenced by the early 2000s movie “I, Robot,” where – perhaps ironically – we’re warned of the dangers of robots and artificial intelligence. However, while the event’s name may have been a nod to the film, the movie’s director, Alex Proyas, has accused Musk of copying his designs. Proyas took to Musk-owned social network X, saying, “Hey Elon, Can I have my designs back, please?”

While many will point out that humanoid robots will no doubt share some similarities, whether in real life or on film, we’re particularly interested in the vehicles that do indeed seem to bear some similarities to the movie. The self-driving Robovan apes the unmanned delivery vehicles that appeared in the film, while the Cybertaxi perhaps has an uncanny resemblance to the protagonist’s self-driving car.

Hey Elon, Can I have my designs back please? #ElonMusk #Elon_Musk pic.twitter.com/WPgxHevr6E

— Alex Proyas (@alex_proyas) October 13, 2024

We’ve already touched on the similarities between the Cybercab and Volkswagen’s VW XL1. The hero’s car in I, Robot was another VW product: the Audi RSQ concept. The RSQ was designed to predict what cars would look like in 2035. Instead of wheels, it used spheres, which featured covers similar to the Tesla, and butterfly doors. The similarities are mostly confined to the outer appearance, though, as the RSQ was powered by a 5.0-liter gas-guzzling V10 versus the all-electric drivetrain of the Tesla.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, it wasn’t just Proyas who felt that Tesla may have borrowed a thing or two from the film. Matt Granger, who worked as an assistant to Proyas on I, Robot, posted in a now-deleted message, “I too wish to offer my full-fingered ‘f*** you’ to Elon and his utter lack of creativity.”