Tesla CEO Elon Musk has just issued a warning to drivers about this vehicle model. Tesla has long been a pioneering electric vehicle company, pushing boundaries of battery engine technology and catapulting the electric vehicle industry to where it is today. However, despite the global success the company has seen over the last two decades, there remains criticism for some of the models’ features, particularly when it comes to the safety of other road users.
Tesla sees widespread success in the electric vehicle industry
Today, the electric vehicle industry is riddled with competition thanks to major advances in battery engine technology and increased demand for alternative engine solutions. However, when Tesla first released its vehicles on the roads, they were the first to sway public opinion towards viewing electric vehicles as an example of both luxury and futurism.
Tesla was a major contributor to the automobile industry’s accelerated adoption of electric adoption thanks to the unprecedented success the company saw. Tesla has retained the position as the number one global electric vehicle seller up until recently, when it was overtaken by electric vehicle developer BYD. However, they still retain the top position in North America.
Elon Musk tells drivers not to purchase the Roadster for this reason
Despite the popularity of Tesla, the company has continued to receive its fair share of criticism, with sales plateauing in international markets. Part of this is due to comments by CEO Elon Musk, who has remained a controversial figure for drivers for years. Recently, the company unveiled that they will be revealing the next generation of the ‘Roadster’ model on April 1, nine years after the company first started taking preorders for the vehicle in 2017. However, the upcoming release has been overshadowed by recent comments Musk made regarding the car while speaking as a guest on Peter Diamandis’ Moonshots podcast:
“If safety is your number one goal, don’t buy the Roadster,” described Musk. “If you buy a Ferrari, safety is not the number one goal… We’ll aspire not to kill anyone in this car [but] it’ll be the best of the last of the human-driven cars. The best of the last.”
These comments come after a recent shift in priorities by Tesla, whereby the company has set its sights on putting the first fully self-driving vehicle on the road despite continued backlash for the company’s current semi-autonomous technology.
New players rise to the top in the electric vehicle market
While Tesla continues to have a loyal consumer base, the future of the company remains uncertain for some experts. While Tesla continues to boast some of the most advanced battery engine technologies, with rising competition from companies such as BYD and Geely, some experts estimate that the electric vehicle market will become dominated by these Asian developers.
Furthermore, Tesla has continued to struggle in Europe, with drivers across the pond opting for either these Chinese electric vehicles, which fetch a much lower price for just as advanced technology, or continuing to be loyal to their own European-based companies. These estimations are further fuelled by Tesla’s continued shift in focus to automation:
“We can’t rule out that at some point, [Elon Musk] decide to leave the automotive industry to refocus on humanoid robots, SpaceX or artificial intelligence,” said former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares to Les Echos in October, 2025.
With the automobile industry never before being so competitive, especially considering that other developers have caught up in the alternative engine market, it is possible that, in order to remain ahead, Tesla may shift away from automobile development and choose to advance artificial intelligence. Nevertheless, Tesla is determined to continue to advance automation and see a driverless vehicle on the road, with the company kicking off its pilot project last year in Austin, Texas.
Disclaimer: Our coverage of events affecting companies is purely informative and descriptive. Under no circumstances does it seek to promote an opinion or create a trend, nor can it be taken as investment advice or a recommendation of any kind.
