[afadeev]

Originally Posted by LinkF1

Think about all of the workers that have a job because of the robots.

The robots need to be manufactured, programmed, and transported before it even gets to the site. Then it needs to be rigged into position, re-programmed, monitored, improved, serviced and maintained while on site.

There are clearly fewer humans required to manufacture, install, and maintain the robots, then would have been used in non-automated production line.

However, automation gives us cheaper and consistently higher quality product. And that is an awesome trade off.

Think about it - would anyone here really be willing to trade off higher quality and lower price-point of our cars for the sake of subsidizing some entitled union workers?

Originally Posted by LinkF1

All of those jobs requiring more skill than the humans placing the windshield, and without much of the risk of injury to the workers doing repetitive motions throughout the day.

The work isn't going away, it is just becoming more skilled.

There are clearly more jobs requiring higher skills and paying more. But the overall quantity of skilled jobs is significantly smaller than that of the low labor they are replacing with automation.

That's progress for our civilization overall. But it does come at the cost of erasing a few bottom steps on the job ladder for low-skilled workforce.

a

[jimf15e]

GM, Ford, and Chrysler made a lot of cars in the 70s and 80s, every one built by UAW workers without the use of robots. Would you want to drive or own one as your reliable DD?

Jaguar, Ferrari, and other boutique European companies also built a lot of cars by hand - some still do. Same question.

Thank god for the robots. I'm just glad I have my robot insurance (cue SNL theme song for those who don't remember the skit).

[Supernaut]

I love watching these car plant videos. It's geek Disneyland.

[Armen383]

Originally Posted by paul223

Girl at 2:37, screwing down entire blot or screw at an angle, and while looking away. lol. That is not quality work.

And that is probably how I got my rear left door misaligned (and the whole bolt actually screwed upside down), for one. Sigh.

[doug_999]

The tour proved to me that you really don't want a first year production car - the time it has to take to get everything just right has to be incredible.

As for robots vs. employees - as pointed out, the robots are going to do a more consistent job (that of course could be consistently bad if programmed wrong) with fewer injuries and possibly lower cost (those things are not cheap).

I don't think however the main reason is cost - it is the consistency.