# Tesla told shareholders it had added too much automation too quickly and returned two general-assembly steps to semi-automated or manual work

Page: https://flyvolo.ai/en/changes/ev-20180502-assembly-line-worker-6
Date: 2018-05-02 · Stage: Constraint
Can this record move a task judgement? yes
Occupation: https://flyvolo.ai/en/careers/assembly-line-worker

## Scope

United States, one car maker. The company's shareholder update says it made a mistake by adding too much automation too quickly; that in areas where fully automated processes were hard to ramp, including portions of the battery module line, part of the material flow system and two steps of general assembly, it temporarily dialled back automation and introduced semi-automated or manual processes while working towards full automation; and that margins would be slightly lower due to higher labour content. It does not say which assembly steps, or that they were dexterous ones, and calls the step back temporary.

## Source

- Tesla, Inc. — 'Tesla First Quarter 2018 Update', Exhibit 99.1 to Form 8-K (2 May 2018), SEC EDGAR — https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1318605/000156459018010306/tsla-ex991_7.htm (primary source)

## What this means

Even at a maker that pushed hard for automation, some final-assembly steps went back to people when the machines could not keep up in production.

## What it does not show yet

One company, 2018, steps not named, and described as temporary.

## How to verify it yourself

Open Tesla's First Quarter 2018 Update (Exhibit 99.1) and find "we made a mistake by adding too much automation too quickly".


More: https://flyvolo.ai/llms.txt