Tesla’s Model Y casting machine, commonly referred to as the “Giga Press,” has been installed at the company’s Fremont production facility, and it will bring a new age of efficiency and quality to the electric automaker’s first crossover SUV.
The casting machine has been talked about since early 2020 when CEO Elon Musk stated on an episode of the Third Row Podcast that Tesla would be purchasing the assembly to assist with the production efficiency of the Model Y.
It appears that the Giga Press has been successfully installed in Fremont based on a pair of tweets from both Musk and, who indicated that the casting apparatus was available for use at the Northern California plant.
Will be amazing to see it in operation! Biggest casting machine ever made. Will make rear body in a single piece, including crash rails.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 13, 2020
Musk seems enthusiastic about the Model Y casting machine, hinting toward the purpose of the device, which will revolutionize the way the electric car is built, paving the way for production efficiency across the world. Tesla is planning to use the casting device in Fremont, but also in Shanghai, where it was first spotted in April.
The sizeable Giga Press has been compared to a small house, measuring 64 ft (19.5 m) long and 17 ft (5.3 m) tall, and weighing in at 410 tons.
The rear portion of the vehicle will be cast in a single piece, which has a noticeable distinction compared to the Model 3, which contained over 70 individual parts on the rear portion of the vehicle.
Early production versions of the Model Y had evidently shown significant improvements in the number of auto parts that made up the rear section of the vehicle. Automotive teardown expert Sandy Munro noticed the improvement during his breakdown of the Model Y.
Although the Model Y was a highly optimized automobile during its early production, Tesla has still focused on improving the efficiency of the manufacturing process overall. There is evidence that the casting machine could save Tesla 20% on labor costs, which is an estimate from Laurie Harbour, president of Harbour Results Inc., a manufacturing consultancy firm.
While cost-effectiveness is undoubtedly critical for any company, the casting machine will accelerate and optimize Tesla’s ability to produce the Model Y across the world, which could help the company reach lofty production goals for years to come.
In Tesla’s Q2 2020 Earnings Letter, the electric automaker indicated that despite multiple production facility closures throughout 2020, it would not revise its production goal for the fiscal year.
In the letter, Tesla said:
“We have the capacity installed to exceed 500,000 vehicle deliveries this year, despite recent production interruptions. While achieving this goal has become more difficult, delivering half a million vehicles in 2020 remains our target.”
Tesla delivered 179,387 vehicles through the first two quarters of the year, so the company is technically behind schedule to reach its 2020 targets. However, demand for the company’s cars is healthy, and with expanding production lines and production efficiencies like the Model Y casting machine, there is a case that Tesla could still reach its goal before the year comes to an end.
Tesla’s use of the Giga Press could help the company manufacture about 1 million vehicles a year, opening the door for faster delivery times for customers, and increased production rates at all of the company’s production plants.
News
Tesla FSD fleet is nearing 7 billion total miles, including 2.5 billion city miles
As can be seen on Tesla’s official FSD webpage, vehicles equipped with the system have now navigated over 6.99 billion miles.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) fleet is closing in on almost 7 billion total miles driven, as per data posted by the company on its official FSD webpage.
These figures hint at the massive scale of data fueling Tesla’s rapid FSD improvements, which have been quite notable as of late.
FSD mileage milestones
As can be seen on Tesla’s official FSD webpage, vehicles equipped with the system have now navigated over 6.99 billion miles. Tesla owner and avid FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog also shared a screenshot indicating that from the nearly 7 billion miles traveled by the FSD fleet, more than 2.5 billion miles were driven inside cities.
City miles are particularly valuable for complex urban scenarios like unprotected turns, pedestrian interactions, and traffic lights. This is also the difference-maker for FSD, as only complex solutions, such as Waymo’s self-driving taxis, operate similarly on inner-city streets. And even then, incidents such as the San Francisco blackouts have proven challenging for sensor-rich vehicles like Waymos.
Tesla’s data edge
Tesla has a number of advantages in the autonomous vehicle sector, one of which is the size of its fleet and the number of vehicles training FSD on real-world roads. Tesla’s nearly 7 billion FSD miles then allow the company to roll out updates that make its vehicles behave like they are being driven by experienced drivers, even if they are operating on their own.
So notable are Tesla’s improvements to FSD that NVIDIA Director of Robotics Jim Fan, after experiencing FSD v14, noted that the system is the first AI that passes what he described as a “Physical Turing Test.”
“Despite knowing exactly how robot learning works, I still find it magical watching the steering wheel turn by itself. First it feels surreal, next it becomes routine. Then, like the smartphone, taking it away actively hurts. This is how humanity gets rewired and glued to god-like technologies,” Fan wrote in a post on X.
News
Tesla starts showing how FSD will change lives in Europe
Local officials tested the system on narrow country roads and were impressed by FSD’s smooth, human-like driving, with some calling the service a game-changer for everyday life in areas that are far from urban centers.
Tesla has launched Europe’s first public shuttle service using Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in the rural Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm region of Germany, demonstrating how the technology can restore independence and mobility for people who struggle with limited transport options.
Local officials tested the system on narrow country roads and were impressed by FSD’s smooth, human-like driving, with some calling the service a game-changer for everyday life in areas that are far from urban centers.
Officials see real impact on rural residents
Arzfeld Mayor Johannes Kuhl and District Administrator Andreas Kruppert personally tested the Tesla shuttle service. This allowed them to see just how well FSD navigated winding lanes and rural roads confidently. Kruppert said, “Autonomous driving sounds like science fiction to many, but we simply see here that it works totally well in rural regions too.” Kuhl, for his part, also noted that FSD “feels like a very experienced driver.”
The pilot complements the area’s “Citizen Bus” program, which provides on-demand rides for elderly residents who can no longer drive themselves. Tesla Europe shared a video of a demonstration of the service, highlighting how FSD gives people their freedom back, even in places where public transport is not as prevalent.
What the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Transport says
Rhineland-Palatinate’s Minister Daniela Schmitt supported the project, praising the collaboration that made this “first of its kind in Europe” possible. As per the ministry, the rural rollout for the service shows FSD’s potential beyond major cities, and it delivers tangible benefits like grocery runs, doctor visits, and social connections for isolated residents.
“Reliable and flexible mobility is especially vital in rural areas. With the launch of a shuttle service using self-driving vehicles (FSD supervised) by Tesla in the Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm, an innovative pilot project is now getting underway that complements local community bus services. It is the first project of its kind in Europe.
“The result is a real gain for rural mobility: greater accessibility, more flexibility and tangible benefits for everyday life. A strong signal for innovation, cooperation and future-oriented mobility beyond urban centers,” the ministry wrote in a LinkedIn post.
News
Tesla China quietly posts Robotaxi-related job listing
Tesla China is currently seeking a Low Voltage Electrical Engineer to work on circuit board design for the company’s autonomous vehicles.
Tesla has posted a new job listing in Shanghai explicitly tied to its Robotaxi program, fueling speculation that the company is preparing to launch its dedicated autonomous ride-hailing service in China.
As noted in the listing, Tesla China is currently seeking a Low Voltage Electrical Engineer to work on circuit board design for the company’s autonomous vehicles.
Robotaxi-specific role
The listing, which was shared on social media platform X by industry watcher @tslaming, suggested that Tesla China is looking to fill the role urgently. The job listing itself specifically mentions that the person hired for the role will be working on the Low Voltage Hardware team, which would design the circuit boards that would serve as the nervous system of the Robotaxi.
Key tasks for the role, as indicated in the job listing, include collaboration with PCB layout, firmware, mechanical, program management, and validation teams, among other responsibilities. The role is based in Shanghai.
China Robotaxi launch
China represents a massive potential market for robotaxis, with its dense urban centers and supportive policies in select cities. Tesla has limited permission to roll out FSD in the country, though despite this, its vehicles have been hailed as among the best in the market when it comes to autonomous features. So far, at least, it appears that China supports Tesla’s FSD and Robotaxi rollout.
This was hinted at in November, when Tesla brought the Cybercab to the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, marking the first time that the autonomous two-seater was brought to the Asia-Pacific region. The vehicle, despite not having a release date in China, received a significant amount of interest among the event’s attendees.
Tesla FSD fleet is nearing 7 billion total miles, including 2.5 billion city miles
Tesla starts showing how FSD will change lives in Europe
