Overdrive: Tesla’s Troubles, Touchscreen Turmoil, and the Curious Case of Royal Warrants

In this episode of Overdrive, David Brown and Paul Murrell delve into tumbling Tesla sales, the surprising rise of BYD, and the growing backlash against touchscreens in cars. They discuss the implications of new Australian road rules, reflect on quirky motoring culture from Lego F1 builds to Britain’s Festival of the Unexceptional, and review the luxurious Genesis G80 Sport. Plus, what does a Royal Warrant really mean for Jaguar Land Rover?
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Overdrive: Tesla’s Troubles, Touchscreen Turmoil, and the Curious Case of Royal Warrants
Welcome to Overdrive, the program that explores the intersection of motoring, transport, planning, design, and culture. Hosted by motoring expert David Brown, with insights from seasoned journalist Paul Murrell (SeniorDriverAus.com), this week’s episode tackles an eclectic but vital mix of topics affecting how we move and the vehicles we love.
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⚡ Tesla’s Shock Slide & The Rise of BYD
Tesla’s star appears to be fading—at least for now. Australian sales figures reveal a 75% year-on-year drop in April, partially blamed on government tax incentives expiring and a broader consumer rethink. Plug-in hybrid sales have also declined from 4.7% to just 2.9% of new car sales.
BYD, a Chinese EV maker, has now overtaken Tesla as the world’s largest electric vehicle supplier. It’s a massive shift, highlighting changing dynamics in the global EV market. In the U.S., Tesla is sitting on a stockpile of 10,000 unsold Cybertrucks, worth roughly $800 million USD. A sobering figure that suggests demand might be flattening for these sci-fi-looking utes, even before they hit Australian shores.
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📉 The Problem with Touchscreens
Euro NCAP is set to downgrade cars that hide basic controls like air-con and headlights in complicated touchscreen menus. From 2026, functions requiring more than two taps will hurt a car’s safety rating.
Both Brown and Murrell cheered the move, noting that touchscreen overload distracts drivers, removing attention from the road. In their hands-on reviews of vehicles like the Genesis G80 and Lexus, they found that physical dials and intuitive layouts outperformed digital-only setups. Euro standards often shape local rules in Australia, so a wave of changes could be coming to local showrooms too.
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🛑 Road Rules Rethink: Speed Limits and P-Plate Curfews
New national and state-specific road rules are being introduced, and some are raising eyebrows:
• In South Australia, the speed limit when passing roadside assistance vehicles is now 25 km/h, compared to 40 km/h in most other states.
• A nationwide curfew for P1 drivers between 11 PM and 5 AM is now in place, alongside a one-peer passenger limit unless supervised.
• Zero tolerance for mobile phone use, even hands-free, carries $750 in fines and 4 demerit points.
Paul Murrell criticised the lack of clarity—especially around how far before or after a hazard the speed limit applies. The reality is that going from 110 to 25 km/h on a freeway can be dangerous, especially if it leads to sudden braking or driver confusion.
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🚗 Product Placement Goes Royal
Jaguar Land Rover has received Royal Warrants from both King Charles III and Queen Camilla, continuing a legacy that dates back to 1951. But as Paul dryly noted, JLR is now owned by Tata Motors, based in India, a former British colony.
While Royal Warrants are a symbolic endorsement of quality, they also serve as powerful branding tools, similar to how Alan Moffat once ensured logos were perfectly visible on his racing wheels. In the modern day, this royal association is pure marketing gold—though hopefully it won’t require divine intervention to fix any warranty claims.
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🏁 Full-Speed Fun: Lego F1 Cars and Festival of the Unexceptional
On the lighter side, Lego unveiled drivable, life-size Formula 1 cars at the Miami Grand Prix. Each took over 22,000 hours to build, weighing more than 1.3 tonnes, and were created with real Lego bricks (and presumably nerves of steel).
Meanwhile in the UK, the Festival of the Unexceptional continues to grow. It’s a celebration of the mundane—cars like the Vauxhall Chevette or the Morris Ital—vehicles not preserved in glossy auction catalogues but remembered fondly by everyday Australians and Brits alike.
Both stories highlight the deep cultural ties to cars, whether it’s childhood Lego sets or memories of an old family Falcon.
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🚙 Review: Genesis G80 3.5T Sport – Luxury Without Pretence
David Brown road-tested the Genesis G80 3.5T Sport, and it made quite an impression. Priced at $142,000 driveaway, this twin-turbo V6 saloon delivers a quiet, composed ride enhanced by noise-cancelling tech, a plush interior, and enough style to turn heads without shouting.
Compared to European rivals, Genesis offers a lot of premium features without expensive options lists. It’s a luxury experience designed with empathy—buttons in the right place, smart use of tech, and proper comfort on long Aussie drives.
Paul Murrell noted how Australia is becoming desensitised to six-figure price tags in cars, and Genesis is carving out a spot by balancing value and premium appeal.
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🛠️ Modern Mods and Classic Controversy
At the St Ives Motor Show, David spotted an old Land Rover with LED lights retrofitted into the original housings—prompting a lively debate on whether modernising classics enhances or diminishes the driving experience.
Paul pointed out the practical safety gains, particularly when modern traffic conditions outpace old tech. Still, there’s a fine line between enhancement and losing what made a classic… classic.
From light mods to EV conversions, the future of old cars is a hot topic—and one Overdrive will keep revisiting.
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Program Links and Credits:
Overdrive is syndicated across Australia via the Community Radio Network. You can hear the full episode, watch road test videos, and explore additional stories at our website or by searching “cars transport culture” on your preferred podcast or social media platform.
Host: David Brown
Guest: Paul Murrell (SeniorDriverAus.com)
First broadcast: 10 May 2025
Production assistance: Genesis Australia, Bruce Potter, Mark Wesley