Gadkari says firm ‘no’ to driverless cars in India
25 Jul 2017
While driverless cars may be the buzz word in the West, with both technology companies and traditional carmakers racing to develop them, such cars won't be allowed in India as they will lead to more unemployment, according to union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari.
''We will not allow driverless cars in India. We don't need it. Unemployment is a huge problem in our country. Each car gives job to a driver,'' told reporters in Delhi on Monday.
The road transport minister said that instead the government will focus on training drivers as adequate driving skills can provide employment to about 50 lakh people.
"India suffers a huge shortage of 22 lakh drivers ... cab aggregators take advantage of this. We are not going to promote any technology or policy that will render people jobless," Gadkari said.
''I saw in Sweden a 70-year-old man was driving a taxi. There (Western countries), they have less people. Here, we have more people and they need jobs. Driverless cars will take away those jobs. I am certain on this issue,'' he said.
According to a study by Boston Consulting Group, the global autonomous cars market is expected to be worth $42 billion by 2025 and $77 billion by 2035. A quarter of all cars sold could be autonomous vehicles by then, the study has said.
Gadkari, a proponent of electric vehicles, said he has also told global automakers that India will not reduce import duty on e-vehicles or parts. ''I have told chiefs of the auto companies recently that world-class electric vehicles can very well be manufactured in India. They are welcome to make them here under Make in India, we will not reduce the import duties,'' he said.
Last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed industry speculation that his company was working on autonomous systems in driverless cars and called it the ''mother of all AI projects''. However, driverless cars have also led to questions being raised over insurance liability, and the legal framework governing them in the transport ecosystem.
