Electric vehicle giant Tesla (TSLA) has a plan to branch out, and it is already in progress. The Optimus humanoid robot is one major example of this diversification already in progress, and the good news is that it demonstrated one more advantage. It was recently spotted handling an early trick-or-treat detail, handing out candy in Times Square. The move was apparently good enough to catch investor interest, as shares gained over 2.5% in Tuesday afternoon’s trading.
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While showing off the Cybercab in Times Square, out in front of the Nasdaq building, Tesla also had an Optimus robot handing out bags of what reports described as “gummies.” Apparently, the robot dropped a couple of bags, but was quick to retrieve them and resume its primary directive of handing out candy to passersby.
Optimus seemed to be plugged in, reports noted, and it was unclear if it was operated remotely or was working autonomously. But apparently, Optimus’ dexterity is improving substantially, to the point where it can fold laundry by itself. This is just the latest such effort; Optimus robots were detailed to hand out candy back at the “Frunk or Treat” event Tesla held for employees, and also tended bar at the “We Robot” event back in 2024.
Mad Max Mode Returns
Some may not be so familiar with this part, but apparently, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system can be adjusted to reflect a level of aggressiveness that users find most appropriate. The FSD v14 release gave us “Sloth Mode,” a slower, more cautious profile fit for the Sunday driver. And now, Tesla is set to mark the opposite end of the spectrum with “Mad Max” mode, which will apparently drive like you are being chased by people who have spray-painted their mouths in chrome.
This is actually a returning feature; Mad Max mode was previously available back in 2018, and was designed for taking on city traffic. But with regulatory scrutiny in full play, Tesla quietly withdrew, mainly over a matter of image, reports noted. Now, the mode is back, and reports suggest it is a bit of a scofflaw. Reports mentioned Teslas rolling through stop signs as well as actively exceeding speed limits.
Is Tesla a Buy, Hold or Sell?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on TSLA stock based on 14 Buys, 11 Holds, and nine Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 68.52% rally in its share price over the past year, the average TSLA price target of $383.66 per share implies 17.3% downside risk.
