Tesla officials and engineers have begun auditing part of the firm’s Chinese supply chain, as Elon Musk’s company aims to quickly ramp up production of its Optimus humanoid robot after it hits the global market later this year, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.
Chinese companies set to undergo supplier audits included heat-control component manufacturer Zhejiang Sanhua Intelligent Controls, auto parts supplier Ningbo Joyson Electronic, and chassis producer Tuopu Group, two corporate executives with business ties to the manufacturers told the South China Morning Post.
Most of the firms being examined by Tesla as potential Optimus suppliers already provide automotive components used in the company’s electric cars, and they are all based in eastern China’s Zhejiang province.
A supplier audit is a process in which a vendor’s production and compliance standards are evaluated to ensure product quality.