Elon Musk Teases Extreme Performance Tesla Roadster, Says Safety Is 'Not The Main Goal'
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk has touted the much-awaited Roadster's demo, outlining that the car will be focused on performance. In a new interview with entrepreneur Peter Diamandis on Tuesday, Musk was asked about the Tesla Roadster and if the car was going to focus on safety. "It will be a cool demo," Musk said, adding that "safety is not the main goal." He then drew comparisons with vehicles made by Italian automaker Ferrari, which offer an enhanced focus on performance. "If safety is your number one goal, don't buy the Roadster," Musk said in the interview. Don't Miss: The billionaire was also asked if the Roadster could hover, to which he responded that it was "classified." It's worth noting that Tesla filed a patent last year detailing an active aerodynamic system that directs airflow through a series of fans to generate downforce. The filing also mentioned that the system could be used to make the car hover. Musk, hinting at the rapid adoption of self-driving cars, also said that the Roadster would be "the best of the last of the human-driven cars." Tesla had earlier shared a new job listing hiring for a role working on the production of the Roadster in October, which could signal that the vehicle could be slated for a launch in the near future. See Also: An EA Co-Founder Shapes This VC Backed Marketplace—Now You Can Invest in Gaming's Next Big Platform Before the Raise Ends 1/19 The Roadster has been an elusive topic that has generated buzz in the tech community, but it has also attracted criticism. OpenAI founder Sam Altman had earlier slammed Tesla for allegedly failing to refund the $50,000 he paid to book the Tesla Roadster. Altman’s comments were in turn criticized by Musk, who said that his refund was fulfilled within 24 hours after the issue surfaced. Popular YouTuber Marques Brownlee, aka MKBHD, also canceled one of the two Roadster reservations he made over eight years ago, paying the $50,000 reservation fee. Tesla's fourth-quarter deliveries fell below market expectations, as well as demonstrated a 16% YoY decline as the EV giant delivered 418,227 units. It's worth noting that delivery consensus among analysts for the fourth quarter hovered around the 445k-mark, according to investor Gary Black.
