The reference to Ford is reminiscent of this:

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2018/04/experts-say-tesla-has-r...

It's quoted, along with a bunch of other articles from 2018, here:

https://www.iqsdirectory.com/resources/teslas-big-problem-ex...

> [Ars quoting Musk in 2017] "We are pushing robots to the limit in terms of the speed that they can operate at, and asking our suppliers to make robots go way faster, and they are shocked because nobody has ever asked them that question," Musk said on a conference call last November.

I saw a video, years ago, when Tesla was installing/setting up/showing off the robots. The demonstrated method and tool to 'program' the robot arm was terrible, and the resulting arm motion was excessive.

My takeaway was Tesla needed experienced staff to optimize the arm path.

>[1980s GM quote] As Hamtramck's assembly line tried to gain speed, the computer-guided dolly wandered off course. The spray-painting robots began spraying each other instead of the cars.... When a massive computer-controlled 'robogate' welding machine smashed a car body, or a welding machine stopped dead, the entire Hamtramck line would stop. Workers could do nothing but stand around and wait while managers called in the robot contractor's technicians.

This seems like a solvable problem.

I saw a video a few years ago where they failed to land a rocket on a platform and it blew up...