An autonomous car test in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, ended in a collision while filming a news report. The vehicle, operated remotely via internet and satellite, lost its connection and went out of control, hitting a parked police vehicle at D-Chowk, a maximum security area of the city. The moment of the accident was captured on video and went viral on social media.
Reporter Muhammad Aalijah was in the passenger seat when he was doing the story about the autonomous system, developed by technology enthusiast Ehsan Zafar. In the footage, Aalijah can be seen desperately trying to engage the handbrake, but without success. The car advanced toward the police vehicle without there being time to avoid the collision.
In an interview with the Dawn newspaper, Aalijah explained that the accident was caused by a technical failure in the autonomous vehicle's connection. The system, which depended on internet and satellite to function, failed during the demonstration, resulting in the loss of control of the car.
