Key facts
- The new Tesla Roadster will be the only vehicle in Tesla's lineup that humans can manually drive.
- The Roadster's price is expected to be at least $250,000.
- Tesla is also developing autonomous vehicles like the Cybercab, designed to be sold for under $30,000.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has indicated that manual driving will become a luxury reserved for the wealthy, with the upcoming Roadster being the only vehicle in the company's lineup designed for human drivers. Musk unveiled the new Roadster with a demonstration of its autonomous capabilities, including driving upside down and briefly flying. He suggested that manual driving might eventually become obsolete, comparing it to the automation of elevators. Meanwhile, Tesla continues to push its autonomous driving technology in more affordable models like the Cybercab, which lacks traditional driving controls and is slated to cost under $30,000. The Roadster's reservation requires a $50,000 deposit, with the final price expected to be at least $250,000, placing it firmly in the luxury supercar category.