A purported demonstration of a driverless car in Pakistan took an unexpected turn after the vehicle crashed into a parked police van, turning the incident into a viral moment.
Pakistan journalist Muhammad Aalijah shared a video on his official social media account on Sunday showing the demonstration in Islamabad. In the footage, Aalijah can be seen sitting in the passenger seat while showcasing a "remote-controlled car".
With no one apparently behind the wheel, he spoke to the camera and pointed out that the vehicle was navigating on its own. For a few moments, the demonstration appeared to be going smoothly.
However, things quickly took an unexpected turn when the car suddenly changed course and crashed into a police vehicle.
Take a look at the video below:
According to a report by Dawn, Aalijah said he had been asked by technology enthusiast Ehsan Zafar of Abbottabad to report on his tech-based automated-driving innovation. He attributed the crash to an internet disruption that caused the remotely controlled vehicle to lose control.
{{/usCountry}}According to a report by Dawn, Aalijah said he had been asked by technology enthusiast Ehsan Zafar of Abbottabad to report on his tech-based automated-driving innovation. He attributed the crash to an internet disruption that caused the remotely controlled vehicle to lose control.
{{/usCountry}}"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.
"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.
Social media reactions
The video has since been widely circulated online, with users sharing jokes and memes about the unusual demonstration.
Actor Ranvir Shorey also reacted to the footage, writing, "Presenting Pakistan's answer to the self-driving Tesla: The Masla."
One user joked, "What talent! It avoided everything else and went straight into the police car." Another commented, "You didn't get beaten up by the police? You were lucky?"
"Imagine trying to explain this without the camera recording," another user wrote.
“Certainly, there is no shortage of talent in Pakistan,” commented one user.