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Tesla Relied On Too Many Robots To Build the Model 3, Elon Musk Says (theverge.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the helping-hands dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: Elon Musk says Tesla relied on too many robots to build the Model 3, which is partly to blame for the delays in manufacturing the crucial mass-market electric car. In an interview with CBS Good Morning, Musk agreed with Tesla's critics that there was over-reliance on automation and too few human assembly line workers building the Model 3. Earlier this month, Tesla announced that it had officially missed its goal of making 2,500 Model 3 vehicles a week by the end of the first financial quarter of this year. It will start the second quarter making just 2,000 Model 3s per week, but the company says it still believes it can get to a rate of 5,000 Model 3s per week at the midway point of 2018. Previously, Tesla has blamed bottlenecks in the production of the Model 3's batteries at the company's Gigafactory for the delays. But in a wide-ranging (and largely positive) interview with CBS's Gayle King, Musk also admits it was Tesla's over-reliance on robots in the production. Musk then said the company needs more people working in the factory and that automation slowed the Model 3 production process. He alluded to a "crazy, complex network of conveyor belts" the company had previously used and said the company eliminated it after it became clear it wasn't working.

5 of 103 comments (clear)

  1. What? by Luthair · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Has anyone ever said that? Everyone I've seen points out that the issue is Tesla has no experience building at scale and has had issues with QA / consistency on their existing lines.

    1. Re:What? by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      So, Musk's plan to 'revolutionize' the auto industry with his advanced production techniques isn't going as planned. Maybe other car manufactures actually did learn something through all those years of production.

    2. Re:What? by yodleboy · · Score: 3, Insightful

      "A year from now I expect"
       
      Tesla is always a year away from hitting their stride with production. Kinda like how true AI is only 10 years away. Practical fusion is only 25 years around the corner you know?
       
      Tesla doesn't scare any auto maker. 100K total sales in luxury cars? Mercedes, BMW and Lexus EACH sold over 300K cars in 2017 alone. At the lower end, the established makers sell hundreds of thousands of entry level luxury cars every month. Tesla is like a Ferrari for the geek crowd. I guess it's a nice way to feel like they are part of a revolution.

  2. Summary by raftpeople · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Automating complex systems is difficult.

  3. no money no car by AndyKron · · Score: 3, Insightful

    A story about a car I'll never be able to afford. Or should I say I can afford it, but I'm not paying that kind of money for a car.