Automation is marching into factory floors, making India Inc faster and smarter with each passing shift.
Alien Dreadnought” is a term which is yet to find a mention in the bluebook of manufacturing. But the maverick founder of Tesla has shown the world what he meant when he first alluded to it in 2016. Keen to meet his target of rolling out 5,000 units a week of the popular Model 3, Elon Musk took upon himself the challenge of creating a fully automated factory — never ever attempted in the history of auto manufacturing. Musk’s audacious dream was to create a factory as a machine that built machines — human intervention would be zero, resembling a futuristic spacecraft manned by extra-terrestrials as shown in science-fiction movies.
While automation and robotics deployment are the highest in the auto industry across the globe, what Musk was aiming for was the impossible — entirely automating the last mile. A typical assembly operation is robotised to varying degrees, with most carmakers deploying workers to transport parts and load them on to machines. Tesla’s ambition was way higher, and it stumbled. Its robots couldn’t deal with different orientations of parts such as nuts and bolts and maneuvering of car frames.
Musk, finally, made an admission. In April 2018, he tweeted: “Yes, excessive automation at Tesla was a mistake. To be precise, my mistake. Humans are underrated.”
This story is from the OLB Issue 5 July 2019 edition of Outlook Business.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the OLB Issue 5 July 2019 edition of Outlook Business.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE JOY OF ADJUSTING A LITTLE
Partha DeSarkar, executive director and CEO of Hinduja Global Solutions, not only advocates making small adjustments but also taking oneself less seriously to remain happy
MONEY PLANT
Firms are popping up to help people and companies plant saplings. Reasons for this green consciousness range from earning carbon credits to a desire to fight deforestation
AI'S NEW PORN POSITION
Deepfakes and artificial intelligence-generated images have breathed new life into the porn industry. Celebrities have become the latest victims and revenge porn is on the rise
HOUSE OF CARDS
At 8.4%, India’s GDP surpassed the expectations of analysts of almost all dispositions. But are GDP numbers hiding a bleaker story? It is not just the missing private money, there are more devils in the story
'Markets Can See More Price Correction in the Coming Quarters'
Sunil Koul, executive director Asia Pacific portfolio strategy, global macro research) at Goldman Sachs, in an exclusive interview with Ayaan Kartik and Neeraj Thakur, talks about the valuation situation in India and how foreign investors are looking at increasing their bets in the equity markets
MARKETS, RETAIL INVESTORS TANGO TO NEW HIGHS
As more investors enter the markets, the palette of investing style becomes more colourful. Each investor brings in their own biases, impulsive actions and assumptions to the markets.
GREED OVER FUNDAMENTALS: THE INVESTOR'S FOLLY
In her address at the fifth SEBI-NISM research conference on March 12, 2024, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) chief Madhabi Puri Buch expressed her concerns about the valuation froth in the mid- and small-cap space.
WINNING THE GAME OF BULLS AND BEARS
While retail investors rushed to make hay as smalland mid-cap stocks shone at the bourses, institutional investors stayed away, guided by traditional wisdom that warned them against the exuberance in the stock market. The mid-March crash, dominated by the smaller segments, proved their point
DELIRIUM IN THE MARKETS
Market regulator SEBI says there is froth” in the mid-and small-cap stocks; banker Uday Kotak says there is no bubble. Caught in this cross-current are traders in small towns who are betting heavily in risky derivatives. What is next for the turbocharged Indian markets and what of the retail investors rallying behind it?
Dynamic Women Achievers
Discover the vibrant narratives of dynamic women achievers breaking barriers and reshaping the landscape across diverse fields. From trailblazing entrepreneurs to influential thought leaders, this article celebrates the resilience, innovation, and impactful contributions of women who defy norms, inspiring a new era of empowerment and progress.