Tesla unveils its bizarre new 'Snakebot' automatic car charger

Even Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the bizarre metal arm was "kinda wrong"

The Tesla 'Snakebot' charger is currently in the prototype stage (Tesla Motors/YouTube (screenshot))

Electric car company Tesla has unveiled a prototype charger for its vehicles that automatically (and creepily) finds the car's charging port and fills it with power, without the driver having to do anything.

Elon Musk, the tech superstar who is the co-founder and CEO of the company, teased at the creation of the prototype on Twitter in December last year, writing: "We are actually working on a charger that automatically moves out from the wall and connects like a solid metal snake."

It's been eight months in the making, but he didn't disappoint - with the company releasing a video of the bizarre 'Snakebot' charger online on Thursday.

It'll undoubtedly be handy for Tesla car owners if it ever sees commercial production, as it will allow them to stick their car in the garage and let the charger do the rest, safe in the knowledge that they'll have a full battery the next day.

However, it has its downsides. There's something creepy, even obscene, about the way the charger writhes and bends to find the charging port.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk sits in one of his electric cars on a visit to Amsterdam (JERRY LAMPEN/AFP/Getty Images)

Musk even said it himself, saying the unsettling creation "does seem kinda wrong".

Recently, Musk signed an open letter warning the scientific community about the dangers of using artificial intelligence in weapons of war. It's a shame that he doesn't take the same cautious approach to his company's prehensile robo-arm.