A demonstration of a purported driverless car in Pakistan took an awkward turn after the vehicle suddenly changed direction and crashed into a parked police van. The incident, filmed during a technology showcase in Islamabad, has since become a talking point online.
Pakistan journalist Muhammad Aalijah shared the video on Sunday, showing himself seated in the passenger seat while presenting what he described as a "remote-controlled car". With no one apparently behind the wheel, Aalijah explained that the vehicle was moving on its own as the demonstration got underway.
'Driverless' car crashes into police vehicle
For a few moments, the demonstration appeared to be going as planned. The vehicle could be seen moving without anyone sitting in the driver's seat while Aalijah spoke to the camera.
Then, without much warning, the car changed course and slammed into a police vehicle parked nearby.
Take a look at the video below:
According to a report by Dawn, Aalijah said technology enthusiast Ehsan Zafar of Abbottabad had asked him to report on his automated-driving innovation. He attributed the crash to an internet disruption that caused the remotely operated vehicle to lose control.
"Everything was fine until a technical fault occurred due to an internet disruption, causing the car to go out of control and crash into a police vehicle," he told Dawn.
Aalijah said the vehicle was being controlled through satellite and internet connections and lost external control when the internet connection was disconnected.
"The vehicle was being operated through satellite and internet connections, but during external control, it went out of control as soon as the internet connection was disconnected and collided with a police vehicle," he said.
Internet turns car crash into meme material
The footage quickly spread across social media, with users responding with jokes and memes about the unusual demonstration.
Actor Ranvir Shorey joined in with a sarcastic take, writing, "Presenting Pakistan's answer to the self-driving Tesla: The Masla."
One user joked, "It managed to avoid every obstacle only to pick the police vehicle as its destination."
Another commented, "And you walked away without getting into trouble with the police? That was the real lucky part."
A third user imagined the difficulty of explaining what had happened without the footage, writing, "Trying to explain that incident without the video proof would have sounded completely unbelievable."
Another took a tongue-in-cheek view of the demonstration, saying, "You have to admire the confidence behind a technology demo that ends by driving straight into a police vehicle."
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