Tesla has presented a long-term plan to leave only its high-priced electric sports car, the Roadster, as a vehicle a driver can control directly. The direction is to make self-driving standard and leave manual driving as an optional feature for some customers.

Citing Business Insider, Elon Musk (일론 머스크), Tesla's chief executive, said at an event unveiling the new Roadster, "In the long term, the Roadster will be the only car we make that people drive themselves."

At an event on Oct. 15 local time at a SpaceX facility in Texas, the Roadster climbed a sloped structure and drove upside down, then changed its orientation in the air before landing. It was also shown jumping over several other Tesla vehicles. Musk explained that the demonstration was carried out using self-driving. Lars Moravy (라스 모라비), Tesla's senior engineer, said, "Sometimes you also need to have fun."

The Roadster's final sale price has not yet been disclosed. Buyers reserving the base performance trim must pay a total deposit of $50,000 within 10 days. Tesla's Founders Series unveiled in 2017 required an upfront payment of $250,000. Deposits and the actual sale price are separate. Tesla's mass production target for the new Roadster is 2028.

Tesla, meanwhile, is accelerating the expansion of self-driving in mass-market vehicles. The Cybercab, which began distribution in September, has no steering wheel, brake pedal or side mirrors. The long-term goal is to sell it for less than $30,000. Musk has also emphasised recurring revenue through subscriptions to supervised full self-driving (FSD) in the Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck.

Musk has previously compared driving to operating a modern elevator, arguing for the need for automation. He did not present a specific timetable for when the manual driving function would be removed from existing models. If the long-term plan to shift vehicles other than the Roadster to a self-driving focus becomes reality, the experience of driving oneself could remain a privilege of high-priced sports cars.