Electric car manufacturer Tesla (TSLA) asks its employees to return to work later this week to resume production in Fremont, California. Managers of the company asked dozens of its workers to report to duty by April 29 according to news reports.

The technology company wants its employees to work full shifts amidst local health orders. The electric vehicle maker was previously required to adhere to just minimum or basic operations.

The said order on the Fremont Gigafactory lasts until May 3rd.

However, according to Sgt. Ray Kelly, an officer at Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, the health order hasn’t been eased yet. Kelly then added that the authorities have yet to update its residents and business owners if the health order will be extended.

According to technology news reports, under the orders, Tesla’s Fremont factory should be suspended on March 19. Despite that, the company resisted and kept production going for five more days.

The company’s legal and policy units have argued with the authorities saying that the business should be under the “essential” category. If the team came through successful then, the plant would have continued operations with coronavirus protocols to protect the worker’s health.

Before the company suspended its production, it took temperatures of its workers and distributed face masks. And since then, employees were asked to work from home, some were furloughed, and salaries were adjusted.

The electric car manufacturer also stopped all its contractors’ assignments following the suspension; Tesla temps and contractual workers are now unemployed or allowed to find other gigs through staffing agencies.

Still in the Lead

In other news, an internal communications leak found Volkswagen (VLKAF) CEO Hebert Diess admitting that Tesla is still in the lead with regard to automobile related software. The VW official reportedly said that Elon Musk’s company has a significant lead in terms of software and in the self-driving game.

Through Telsa’s innovation in automotive software technology, it has pioneered over-the-air software updates that have revolutionized the electric car industry.

The Volkswagen CEO recognizes the competition and is apparently worried about his company’s performance in the self-driving software race.

Diess says that the lead of the California-based e-vehicle maker is giving him and the company “headaches”. The CEO then said that consumers are loving the software integrations of Tesla and other features like connecting it to their mobile phones.

In efforts to reach Tesla’s lead in the competition, the VW official said he’s assembling a new unit solely focused on its software.