The Motley Fool·2025-10-25 17:45Core Viewpoint - The competition between Tesla and Amazon in the automation sector is intensifying, with each company leveraging AI and robotics to achieve total automation, but Amazon is currently seen as the better investment option [1]. Tesla - Tesla is pursuing an ambitious plan for full vehicle automation and the production of its humanoid robot, Optimus, with a target of 1,000,000 units per year by 2030 [2]. - CEO Elon Musk predicts millions of fully autonomous Teslas by the end of 2026, although there are concerns about the feasibility of these timelines [2][3]. - Tesla's forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio stands at 175x, significantly higher than the average tech stock, which may limit upside potential if Full Self-Driving (FSD) does not meet expectations [4]. - The company has reported that its autonomous cars have driven over 4.8 billion miles, a substantial increase from 1.5 billion the previous year, which enhances data collection for better automation [6]. Amazon - Amazon has deployed over 1,000,000 robots across more than 300 facilities, significantly scaling its automation efforts since acquiring Kiva Systems in 2012 [5]. - The company’s generative AI model, DeepFleet, is expected to improve robot travel time by 10%, enhancing delivery efficiency [7]. - Amazon's approach to automation is characterized by a data-to-robot flywheel, allowing it to continuously improve its bots without facing significant regulatory hurdles [9]. - Despite recent layoffs totaling 27,000 employees, Amazon is believed to have enough momentum to sustain its automation initiatives over the next five years [10][11]. - Amazon is viewed as the better investment due to its current execution in scaling bot production and delivering results, trading at a more reasonable price compared to Tesla [12].