Tesla wants its factory workers to wear futuristic augmented reality glasses on the assembly line (TSLA)

pulse

December 12, 2018 8:57 PM

Tesla, which has been criticised for its overuse of robots in its factory, has previously used Google Glass on the assembly line.

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Tesla

Tesla's Model 3 might have "biblical simplicity" according to one Wall Street analyst, but building any car still involves hundreds of nuts, bolts, and welds.

To cut down on the number of fit and finish issues — like the "significant inconsistencies" found by UBS — Tesla employees on the assembly line could soon use augmented reality glasses similar to Google Glass to help with car production, according to new patent filings.

Last week, Tesla filed two augmented reality patents that outline a futuristic vision for the relationship between humans and robots when it comes to manufacturing. The "smart glasses" would double as safety glasses, and would help workers identify places for joints, spot welds, and more, the filings say.

Here's how it works:

And here's the specific technical jargon outlining the invention (emphasis ours):

As Electrek points out, Tesla has previously been employing Google Glass Enterprise as early as 2016, though it's not clear how long it was in use.

Tesla has a tricky relationship with robotics in its factory. In April, CEO Elon Musk admitted its Fremont, California factory had relied too heavily on automated processes. Those comments, to CBS This Morning, came after criticism from a Bernstein analyst who said "We believe Tesla has been too ambitious with automation on the Model 3 line."

Still, the company seems to be hoping for a more harmonious relationship between human and machine this time around.

"Applying computer vision and augmented reality tools to the manufacturing process can significantly increase the speed and efficiency related to manufacturing and in particular to the manufacturing of automobile parts and vehicles," the patent application reads.

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