Tesla is working on ways to make its repair services more effective and efficient so that customers have to wait less time to get back up and running. On its earnings call for the fourth quarter of 2018, CEO Elon Musk mentioned two aspects the company will be trying to speed up repairs, as reported by TechCrunch.
First, the company will be making more spare parts available at repair centers so that there are shorter waiting times once cars have been sent in. Second, Musk wants the company"s cars to preemptively call a tow truck when a problem is detected. This will be done automatically, and it will happen before the car is even forced to stop, so that help is already on the way when that happens. The plan is to give drivers the option to cancel the call for help if they believe it to be a false alarm.
Elon Musk didn"t provide any indication as to when this feature will make its way to Teslas around the world, but it would certainly be a welcome addition for its customers. Since it likely involves having local tow trucks ready to assist drivers, rolling out this kind of feature to a large audience may take some time.
On a different note, Tesla"s results for the last quarter of 2018 were pretty positive, with the company sustaining similar operating income and margin form the previous quarter. With Model 3 production ramping up, the company has turned the tide of negative results in the months and years prior to the second half of 2018. The company expects to continue increasing the production rate of its SUV, lowering its production costs. This could be important to help the company sustain the launch of new products such as the Model Y and the Semi truck in the future.
Source: TechCrunch