In the end, the company had to close the plant. The «dumb» robots could not distinguish between car models, failed to install bumpers or paint properly, and costs spiraled out of control. Since then, automation has come a long way, but Smith's vision at the time was for the American company, which was two decades ahead of its competitors in introducing robotic arms to production lines, to try to build the «factory of the future» in Michigan: a facility that operates in the dark, without workers, relying entirely on machines, in the hope of keeping up with Japanese competitors. But the dream turned into a nightmare. «Do you know what really surprised me? I saw a robot pick up an egg!» This is what Roger Smith, Chairman of the Board of General Motors, said in 1985.
