‘No shortage of talent’: Pakistan’s ‘driverless’ car crashes into police van during demo

A remotely controlled car, demonstrated by Pakistani student Ahsan Zafar Abbasi in Islamabad, crashed into a parked police van during a live show on August 31, 2026. The vehicle, a prototype of automated driving technology controlled remotely via an internet-connected application, veered towards the parked police vehicle after experiencing a technical fault.

The demonstration, intended to raise awareness about the risks of testing such technology before it's fully safe, started off with Aalijah proclaiming "there is no shortage of talent in Pakistan," only for the car to suddenly turn towards the police van. Despite Aalijah's frantic attempts to stop the vehicle by pulling the handbrake, the crash was inevitable, highlighting the precarious nature of untested automated vehicle systems.

Despite the collision, Ahsan Zafar Abbasi, the student behind the project, remains committed to refining the technology, emphasizing the importance of safety in experimentation.