MASS PRODUCTION OF TESLA FLYING CARS UNLIKELY

WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 20 /SRNA/ - Despite its convincing presentation, the Tesla flying car, the Roadster, is unlikely to enter mass production due to road safety risks, professor emeritus at the University of Florida Jay Ritter said.

"I assume that only a few of the new Tesla vehicles will be produced. The manufacturer’s liability for damage that its product may cause will pose a major problem," Ritter said.

He stressed that it would be difficult to make the new vehicle sufficiently reliable.

"What if something does not go according to plan and someone is killed when a two-tonne car falls from the sky?" Ritter asked.

He added that he had no doubt that the car demonstration was authentic and that the company was capable of producing a vehicle with such capabilities.

Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla unveiled its new sports car, the Roadster, last week. During the demonstration, the vehicle, equipped with rocket-engine-like thrusters, jumped over an obstacle, spun around its axis, briefly hovered above the ground and then landed safely.

US President Donald Trump subsequently said he was impressed by the presentation by the company owned by American entrepreneur Elon Musk, although it was unlikely that he would ever be seen in such a vehicle.

Following the presentation, Musk promised that the Roadster would be capable of performing acrobatic maneuvers in autonomous driving mode and would be aware of its surroundings.