Elon Musk Faces Copyright Claim Over 'I, Robot' Designs

Director Alex Proyas criticized Elon Musk over the resemblance of Tesla's new Cybercab and Robovan to the robots in his 2004 film 'I, Robot'.

(Image: x)

Washington: Director Alex Proyas slammed Tesla CEO Elon Musk over the alleged resemblance between his two autonomous vehicles and the robots in the 2004 sci-fi film 'I, Robot'.

This comes after Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled the long-awaited prototypes for two new autonomous vehicles: the self-driving robotaxi, dubbed the Cybercab, and the Robovan, ahead of the weekend.

While the sleek, futuristic designs fit Tesla's signature style, many on social media couldn't help but notice a striking resemblance to the robots in the 2004 sci-fi film I, Robot.

The similarity caught the attention of I, Robot director Alex Proyas, who took to X platform to slam the Tesla CEO for allegedly ripping off his creations.

"Hey Elon, Can I have my designs back please?" Proyas wrote.

Hey Elon, Can I have my designs back please? #ElonMusk #Elon_Musk pic.twitter.com/WPgxHevr6E — Alex Proyas (@alex_proyas) October 13, 2024

Set in a futuristic Chicago in 2035, I, Robot explores a world where human-like robots work in public service roles. The film, starring Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, and Alan Tudyk, centres on a detective investigating the suspicious death of a U.S. Robotics founder. The movie's design of sleek, humanoid robots bears a notable resemblance to Tesla's new robotic prototypes.

As per Deadline, Musk on Thursday, unveiled several new robots, including the Optimus, a human-like robot that was revealed to be tele-operated by humans at At Tesla's "We, Robot" event. The highlight of the event was the Cybercab, a futuristic robotaxi with wing-like doors and no steering wheel or pedals. Musk also introduced the Robovan, a self-driving vehicle designed to transport goods or up to 20 people.

Meanwhile, Proyas is preparing to begin filming his new sci-fi satire RUR in Sydney, Australia on October 21.