Scala generics - why I can't create parametrised object inside generic class?

Question

I'm currently learning scala.
Why this code doesn't work:

class GenClass[T](var d : T) {
  var elems: List[T] = Nil 
  def dosom(x: T) = { 
    var y = new T() 
    y   
  }
}

I get: error: class type required but T found
in place of var y - new T()

Is it because type erasing from java? Is there any way to solve this - create variable of type T inside generic function?

Answer 1

have a look at this question, there's an example of a factory: How to instantiate an instance of type represented by type parameter in Scala

Answer 2

Because you can not be sure there always is a public, parameterless constructor.