with details on how the post-apocalyptic MMORPG deals with death.
It sounds like they've taken a cue from World of Warcraft.After the airlift drops you off, your vehicle will be operational - just barely - with only one hit point and your power reserves drained. You can then repair free at the repair station over time, use consumables to repair quicker, or have another player help fix you up with the appropriate skills.
The only real death penalty is the time you spend out of the action. There is no experience penalty of any kind in Auto Assault, so you will never lose character progress from dying.