Model 3 production shut down. Again.

From Buzzfeed:

Just a few days after Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he’s feeling optimistic about his ability to speed up production on the company’s vehicles, the assembly line for the Model 3 in the company’s Fremont, California, plant has been temporarily shut down — again.

The announcement of the four- to five-day production pause for the Model 3 came without warning, according to Tesla employees who spoke with BuzzFeed News. During the pause, workers are expected to use vacation days or stay home without pay; a small number of workers may be offered paid work elsewhere in the factory.

A Tesla spokesperson said that the assembly line is on pause in order to “improve automation.”

[Read more here]

After the previous shut down, there was a big jump in output from the Model 3 assembly line.   But it is concerning that Tesla's having a second shut down so soon after the previous one.  And it also worries me that this shutdown was obviously planned at very short notice. 

Musk drives his staff to achieve more than they thought possible, and sets goals that appear unachievable, and in fact are often reached late.  That doesn't mean he hasn't achieved extraordinary things.  But .....