New Delhi, Dec 19 (KNN) India has no plans to introduce driverless cars in the domestic market, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways clarified on Monday.

Speaking to Business Today at the sidelines of Zero Mile Samvad organised by IIM Nagpur, he said, “If we are going to introduce driverless cars, it will rob approximately 70-80 lakh individuals of their jobs. This will create a huge chaos and I would not let that happen.”

At a time when the automobile industry in the US and Europe is witnessing an increasing number of driverless cars, India has no plans of introducing driverless cars in the domestic automobile market, he said.

His statement comes at a time when Elon Musk’s Tesla is eyeing India with strong intentions to enter the domestic automobile industry. Tesla, which is amongst the largest manufacturers of driverless cars in the US, has been in talks with Indian government officials, primarily seeking lower import duties before it could plan local production.

The Union Minister said that Tesla is welcome to enter the domestic automobile industry, but the US carmaker should manufacture and sell cars in India. “Manufacturing the car in China and selling it in India, this is not possible. Tesla should manufacture as well as sell the cars in India,” he said.

(KNN Bureau)