OpenAI Tests Astra on Physical Engineering From Devices to Vehicles

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OpenAI announced a set of physical-product engineering projects on November 3, 2026, including an Astra-designed test device, expanded engineering work with Chip Ganassi Racing and a new vehicle-design research collaboration with Mazda.

The capabilities span mechanical and electrical engineering and end-to-end system design, from preparing drawings and setting up simulations to coordinating changes across disciplines. The goal is to give engineers more time to explore ideas and improve designs while connecting work across specialized tools.

The device experiment tested GPT-6 Astra’s multimodal and computer-use capabilities by having the model create a device for speaking with Codex, without team members directly editing the design outputs. Astra defined the functional requirements, developed the enclosure and internal component supports, selected electrical components and designed the printed circuit board, including component placement and connections.

It also designed the user interface and generated the firmware and software integrations needed to connect the device to Codex.

In an earlier Astra demonstration, the model placed components and routed copper connections in KiCad, converting an electronic schematic into a printed-circuit-board layout.

Two team members designed the test device with Astra in under a week while working on it as a side project. A contract manufacturer subsequently produced a small batch of prototypes in under a month.

Manufacturing readiness still required several rounds of review and iteration. Astra did not consistently account for the manufacturer’s production constraints, tolerances or assembly requirements.