Nitin Gadkari: Will Never Allow Driverless Cars in India
Gadkari opposes driverless cars in India due to job loss fears, emphasizes vehicle safety; study hints at higher Tesla accident rates and potential risky driving behaviors.
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Mr. Nitin Gadkari, has once again reportedly said that driverless cars will not come to India. He has consistently said that he will not let driverless cars come to India. At the Zero Mile Samvad in IIM Nagpur, Gadkari said, "I will never allow driverless cars to come into India because it will take away the jobs of several drivers and I will not let that happen." According to Gadkari’s estimate, if driverless cars are introduced in India then around 70-80 lakh people will lose their jobs. Therefore, he feels that autonomous driverless cars are best suited for countries with small populations. About US-based EV model Tesla’s intention to enter the rapidly growing Indian automobile market, Gadkari said that the Indian government is ready to welcome Tesla in India but manufacturing in China for sales in India is not acceptable. Gadkari also highlighted India’s road safety concerns and the need for better safety equipment in cars. He also mentioned that the government is also trying to curb road accidents by reducing black spots on roads, and increasing fines. Meanwhile, according to research by Lending Tree, USA (name of company which helps in getting loans, CC etc), between 14th November 2022 to 13th November 2023, Tesla drivers had 23.54 accidents per 1,000 drivers. Lending Tree said that while it is hard to point out why certain brands may have higher accident rates than others. However, there are indications that certain types of vehicles attract riskier drivers than others. Rob Bhatt, LendingTree insurance expert and a licensed insurance agent said, “Most people who drive minivans seem more interested in getting their kids around town safely than they are in zipping around in a high-horsepower vehicle.” Bhatt further added: “Regardless of the vehicle you drive, it’s important to be responsible. Speeding, distracted driving are among the leading causes of car crashes. These behaviours you can control.” Earlier this month, Tesla announced that it is recalling 20 lakh models sold by it in the United States over safety concerns flagged by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). However a lot of people commented that a lot of accidents occur as the driver puts the car in auto mode and relaxes. Do you think this is another reason why driverless cars should not be allowed in India? Do you think Nitin Gadkar’s view about drivers is correct? Let us know in the comments.
