Tesla CEO Declares End of Human-Driven Cars, Pushes Autonomous Future

Tesla‘s CEO Elon Musk has made a bold prediction about the future of transportation, claiming that manually-driven vehicles will soon become as obsolete as horses, according to a report from Fortune covering Tesla’s third-quarter earnings call.

The Death of Manual Driving

Musk didn’t mince words about where he sees the auto industry heading.

“We’ve made very clear that the future is autonomous electric vehicles,” he stated during the earnings call.

He drew a striking parallel between current vehicles and horses, suggesting that while non-autonomous gas vehicles won’t disappear completely, they’ll become “unusual” and “niche.”

Tesla’s Autonomous Progress

The company’s commitment to this vision is evident in their recent unveiling of two autonomous vehicles:

• The Cybercab robotaxi
• The Robovan for larger groups

Despite criticism about controlled testing conditions, Musk revealed that the Cybercab is already being tested on San Francisco streets by Tesla employees. The company currently produces “around 35,000 autonomous vehicles a week,” significantly outpacing competitors like Waymo, which has “less than 1,000 cars” in its entire fleet.

No Plans for Basic EVs

When questioned about the previously announced $25,000 EV, Musk dismissed the concept entirely. “I think having a regular $25,000 model is pointless,” he stated, adding that it would be “completely at odds with what we believe.” Instead, Tesla plans to launch “more affordable models” in the first half of 2025, though these will presumably include autonomous capabilities.

Warning to Traditional Automakers

Musk issued a stark warning to other automotive companies, suggesting their reluctance to embrace autonomous technology “will accrue to their detriment in the future.” Of Tesla’s current seven million vehicles on the road, he claimed the “vast majority” are capable of becoming autonomous with software updates.

EVXL’s Take

The push toward autonomous EVs represents a fundamental shift in how we think about transportation. While Tesla leads the charge in this space, we’ve seen other manufacturers like GM et Mercedes-Benz also making significant strides in autonomous driving technology. This aligns with the industry’s broader movement toward more advanced, sustainable transportation solutions.

What do you think about Musk’s prediction that manual driving will become obsolete? Share your thoughts in the comments below.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​