98-year-old US man who's owned over 100 cars in his driving career explains why he's switched to a brand new self-driving Tesla Model Y

After eight decades behind the wheel, 98-year-old Larry has driven just about everything you could imagine, but now he’s fallen in love with a new self-driving Tesla Model Y EV.

His collection has included more than 100 cars, five Ford Mustangs and a BMW 750 that he owned for 10 years.

Now, though, the US man has traded some of that old-school driving experience for something very different – a brand-new Tesla Model Y.

And it’s the car’s self-driving technology that has completely changed the way he thinks about driving.

Larry has owned more than 100 cars

Larry’s very first car was a 1931 Ford Model A roadster, which he jokingly described as a ‘piece of junk’.

It still did the job, though, getting him around when he was in high school.

Since then, he’s owned more than 100 cars, including five Mustangs and what he described as the best car he ever owned, a BMW 750, and now, his Tesla Model Y.

And despite now driving a Tesla EV packed with cameras and technology, Larry hasn’t completely abandoned the old ways.

He still keeps a physical map of Colorado, which is a pretty amusing contrast to the giant touchscreen and navigation system sitting inside his Model Y.

So why go electric after all those years?

Larry said he originally didn’t want an EV because he didn’t like the idea of having to stop and charge.

But after taking his Tesla on a 400-mile trip, he realized charging wasn’t such a big deal.

The Tesla directed him to a charger, where he added some range in around 25 minutes before continuing his journey.

He also charges the Model Y at home, so he doesn’t have to make regular trips to a gas station.

The self-driving tech in the Tesla Model Y has won him over

The real reason Larry bought the Tesla, however, was much more interesting.

He wanted a car that could do more of the driving for him.

After around two or three months with the Model Y, Larry said he hadn’t experienced what he considered a driving mistake from the car.

At one point, he even watched as the Tesla stopped for a chipmunk crossing the road despite there being no other traffic around.

“I just bought it because it drives itself,” he explained.

After 80 years of driving, Larry said he’s simply tired of having to constantly check every intersection and monitor everything happening around him.

“I don’t want any of that,” he said. “This thing is doing such a good job. I’m just relaxed at 100% with it.”

That doesn’t mean the Tesla is completely hands-off, though.

During the drive, the car became confused about where to turn near their destination, so Larry simply took control and corrected it.

He said he regularly overrides the car when it chooses a route he doesn’t want, before allowing it to take over again.

Still, he has become remarkably comfortable with the technology.

When asked how much he trusts it, his answer was simple: “100%.”

And despite being 98 years old, Larry clearly hasn’t lost his enthusiasm for cars.

When a Mustang appeared alongside the Tesla, he joked that it didn’t stand a chance against his Model Y, which he said could hit 60 mph in around three seconds.

After more than 100 cars, it seems Larry has finally found one that can make driving feel exciting all over again.