We’ve all seen flying and talking cars in Sci-Fi movies and thought about how cool it would be if those really existed. Well, the evolution of smart electric cars is being put on hold because the people in power are afraid of change.

New Jersey’s Motor Vehicle Commission decision to ban Tesla Motors Inc. from selling cars in the state is holding back many technological advances. Tesla sells all-electric cars and components online and in a few scattered retail locations, but its unconventional selling tactics have come under fire recently with automotive unions in Arizona, Texas, New Jersey and New York.

With the rise of online commerce, car dealerships fear that if Tesla takes the middleman out, there would be nothing stopping other car manufacturers from doing the same.

To that I ask: what ever happened to a free market? Seems to me like this is a plan to ensure that the rich stay rich. There is no doubt in my mind that some political lobbying went on and according to Tesla’s furious blog post on its website, the company was unfairly treated during this entire process.

“…The Administration and the NJMVC are thwarting the Legislature and going beyond their authority to implement the state’s laws at the behest of a special interest group looking to protect its monopoly at the expense of New Jersey consumers. This is an affront to the very concept of a free market,” the blog post read.

By creating laws to block the sale of Tesla cars, they’re not only hurting growth of electric cars, but also slowing down technological evolution. Imagine if horse carriage companies in the 19th century prevented Henry Ford from producing cars in certain states.

I have no idea how close we are to flying vehicles but we have been riding around in cars with speaking ability for quite some time now. There’s no telling what inventions, products and even jobs could stem from the spread of alternate styles of driving. You simply have to let the creative process play out.

In comparison, the first iPod Touch set the blueprints for the iPhone. By releasing it to the public and finding out which features worked best, Apple was able to improve and build even better products for the future. Connected carmakers could be on the brink of something equally as groundbreaking to the motor industry, but their efforts are being impeded by old guys who likely barely know how to work a GPS.

With the commission’s ruling, Tesla must stop selling its newest car, the Model S Sedan, directly to customers in New Jersey by April 15. The state of New York agreed to allow Tesla’s five retail stores to remain open, but forbid the opening of any new stores. It’s laws like these that make you question whether the government makes decisions based on our best interest.

All I’m saying is we should give every new technology a fair chance to succeed because you never know what it could lead to. Electric cars could ultimately remain a small niche market or they could blossom into our primary method of transportation in the next 30 years. That’s for the people to decide, not the government.

Aarick Knighton is a sophomore information management and technology major. His column appears weekly. He can be reached at adknight@syr.edu

Published on April 9, 2014 at 1:17 am