Elon Musk Unveils Roadster With Autonomous Stunts

Elon Musk unveiled the new Tesla Roadster on Thursday, demonstrating the vehicle's capabilities through autonomous stunts that included flying and driving upside down on a vertical ramp. Musk stated that the Roadster will eventually be the only manually driven car the company produces, framing manual driving as a luxury feature for high-end consumers.

The base Performance trim requires a $50,000 reservation, though the final price has not been disclosed. This approach differs from Tesla's mass-market strategy for the Cybercab, a vehicle designed without a steering wheel or pedals and targeted for a price under $30,000.

Musk compared the future of vehicle operation to the automation of elevators, suggesting manual driving will become obsolete for the general public. Tesla Lead Engineer Lars Moravy noted the appeal of the Roadster's manual capabilities, suggesting that users need to have some fun sometimes.