Will Future Drivers Be Banned from Driving Cars?

Tesla Motors CEO and entrepreneur Elon Musk made a bold statement on Tuesday, saying: "In the distant future, they may outlaw driven cars because they're too dangerous."

I’m reminded of the scene in I, Robot where the female lead character is flabbergasted when Will Smith starts driving his car on his own.

Musk claims that Tesla will not only be the leader in electric powered vehicles, but in self-driving cars as well. That pits Tesla against automotive industry leaders Audi and BMW, as well as computing giants Apple and Google.

I personally think Mr. Musk is ignoring the 800-pound gorilla in the room: battery life.

Right now, the best range a person can get out of a Tesla is 265 miles in the Model S, and even that number is a bit cooked. The range of the electric vehicle is dependent on how heavy your foot is, what electronics you are using and even if the air conditioner is on.

Now, add an autonomous driving system to an already pitiful battery life, and watch the battery drain even faster.

Musk followed up the statement with the claim that it will be "impossible to run out of range" in a Tesla.