That's a really insightful question that gets to the heart of what lights-out factories actually deliver in practice. From what I've seen, the reality is a mixed bag - you're definitely onto something with your concerns about trading one set of problems for another.

On the positive side, companies like FANUC in Japan have shown that lights-out operations can significantly reduce those middle-of-the-night mechanical breakdown calls. When robots are building robots in fully automated facilities, they can run for extended periods without human intervention, and the consistency of robotic work actually reduces mechanical failures over time.

However, you're absolutely right that this comes with new challenges. Instead of mechanical breakdowns, maintenance teams now face software glitches, network connectivity issues, and complex system integration problems. These can be even more difficult to diagnose and fix remotely than traditional mechanical issues.

The key seems to be that successful lights-out implementations require a fundamental shift in maintenance skills. Teams need to become experts in industrial IoT, network troubleshooting, and software diagnostics rather than just mechanical repair. Companies that invest in this skills transition tend to see the benefits, while those that don't often end up with new types of 2 AM emergencies.

So to answer your question directly: yes, the 2 AM calls do decrease for mechanical issues, but they can be replaced by equally urgent software and network problems unless the maintenance approach evolves along with the technology.