Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India (MoRTH) addressing the
gathering at IIM Nagpur took a strong stand against the self-driving vehicles and Tesla
importing vehicles in India ahead of Tesla’s re-entry into the Indian market.
Speaking at the IIM Nagpur event Nitin Gadkari expressed that he strongly opposes the
introduction of autonomous cars in India, citing potential job losses for around 80 lakh
drivers when questioned about the introduction of driverless vehicles to reduce road
accidents in India. He clearly outlined that he will not allow driverless cars to be introduced in the Indian market. Citing the reasons for this opposition he stated that it will impact the huge employment sector of drivers, he also stated that driverless cars are functional for places with low population but India with its population density but not for India.
This was not just it, when asked about the arrival of Tesla cars in India; Gadkari made his
outlook crystal clear that the government has welcomed Tesla in India but if they manufacture cars in China and import them into India and expecting tax concession is
something that is just not possible. Instead he welcomes Tesla to come to India and set
up a manufacturing hub here to sell the cars in the Indian market.
While on one hand autonomous vehicles, equipped with advanced artificial intelligence
and sensor systems, have the potential to revolutionize the transportation industry,
promising increased safety and efficiency. However, the shift towards autonomy raises
pertinent questions about the fate of the millions employed in driving-related professions.
In this interview Gadkari’s concern revolves around the adverse impact on employment in
the transportation sector. He emphasized that the widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles could lead to a substantial reduction in jobs for drivers across the country. This
sentiment aligns with the broader global debate on the integration of autonomous technology and its societal consequences.