Elon Musk Will Invent Flying Car After Driving Tesla In Potholes, Say Indians After Launch Event
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After Tesla opened a highly-anticipated showroom in Mumbai today, internet users wondered whether the firm’s vehicles would be able to withstand the harsh Indian driving environment. High Indian tariffs were a sore point for Tesla ahead of its Indian launch, and as of now, a Tesla Model Y costs $70,000 in India, which is nearly twice of its price in China. However, high costs might be the least of future Tesla owner’s worries as Indians took to social media and wondered whether Elon Musk’s electric vehicles could survive potholes.
Tesla Should Train Full-Self Driving (FSD) Assisted Driving Platform With Potholes, Indians Say After Mumbai Launch
Along with Elon Musk, Indians aren’t happy about the high tariffs that Tesla has to face to sell its cars in the country. One X user linked the high price, which includes paying INR2.9 million out of the Tesla’s INR6.1 cost to the government with potholes. Indians will pay this tax “To drive your Car in Potholes or Broken Bridges,” said the user and went as far as to dub the high Tesla price as “Tax Terrorism.”
Another user lamented that while he had waited since 2017 for a Tesla launch in India, he won’t be buying the car due to high taxes. “Would have bought the car on Day-1, but no way I am going to pay 30,00,000 in taxes to Indian govt for providing roads full of potholes,” wrote the X user.
In addition to the high price, Indians also believe that a Tesla is unequipped for their roads. X user going by the name M K replied to Tesla India and commented that he can “guarantee” that Tesla’s cars were incapable of driving on Indian metropolis roads because of “potholes, encroachment, wrong side driving and everything.”
Tesla’s assisted driving platform FSD was also the subject of discussion alongside potential pothole pitfalls. Tesla in India? Can’t wait for self-driving to crash into potholes with precision,” a user commented while another remarked: “Tesla’s Autopilot in India will need AI + divine intervention to handle wrong-side heroes, invisible lanes, potholes-turned-pools, and Cows with VIP access.”
One user took an optimistic approach. Going by the name Sagnik Roy, he commented that perhaps Tesla might be able to improve FSD after operating in India. “Maybe introducing Tesla FSD Autodrive in India is not a very good choice,” he said, adding that “I hope they have trained their model according to potholes, 90 degree bridges, cows, dogs etc….”
Another user, going by the moniker SRK, wondered if Musk would invent flying cars after experiencing Indian roads. Inviting Musk to come to India and drive there, the user said: “@elonmusk should come to Mumbai and drive @Tesla from Andheri saki naka to BKC on potholes roads.” After driving in India, the user is sure Musk “will come out with flying cars specially for India as soon as possible.”
After Mumbai, Tesla is expected to open its next showroom in Delhi. The high tariffs mean that the firm’s primary rivals in India will be high-end luxury car companies such as Germany’s BMW and Mercedes Benz. The Indian launch comes as the firm’s European and North American sales drop and leave it with excess capacity. Analysts from Cantor Fitzgerald also expect Tesla to “revisit” its 2025 guidance at the Q2 earnings call.
