Last Updated on September 2, 2026 by YeJahan
ISLAMABAD (Sept 02): A university student drew significant social media attention following an incident at D-Chowk, Islamabad, this week. During a live demonstration conducted by a local journalist, a remote-controlled, internet-operated car developed a technical malfunction, resulting in a minor collision with a parked Islamabad Police van. The prototype vehicle was designed and built by Ehsan Zafar Abbasi, a student in the engineering department at COMSATS University.
A Pakistani innovator was demonstrating a driverless car he developed when it lost control and crashed directly into a police vehicle in Islamabad.
— Planet Report HQ (@PlanetReportHQ) August 31, 2026
The car is remotely controlled over the internet through an app or computer.
Source: ProPakistani, Khabrain News pic.twitter.com/bUVuesS4cH
Initial public speculation suggested that law enforcement might pursue legal actions or penalties against the inventor and the journalist. Instead, the Islamabad Police responded with an encouraging and collaborative gesture.
The department formally invited Ehsan Zafar to their headquarters to honor his innovation. Following an internal review of the incident, authorities confirmed that the collision was entirely accidental, with no malicious intent.
To reinforce their support, SP City Zone Dr Ayaz Husain released a joint video message with Abbasi through the department’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.
In the broadcast, Dr Ayaz Husain commended the student’s ingenuity, designating him as a valuable asset for the future of Pakistan.
سوشل میڈیا پر پولیس وین سے ٹکرانے والی گاڑی کی وائرل ویڈیو کا معاملہ۔
— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) September 1, 2026
پولیس گاڑی سے ٹکرانے والی گاڑی کے معاملے پر ایس پی سٹی زون ڈاکٹر ایاز حسین کا نوجوان کے ہمراہ ویڈیو پیغام ملاحظہ کیجیے۔#WeRIslamabadPolice pic.twitter.com/wnbkNaP102
During the video address, Abbasi explained that he has been actively developing the autonomous vehicle project since 2018. He clarified that the incident occurred due to a manual input error during the live test, where an incorrect command caused the vehicle to steer left rather than right.
“Due to an incorrect key press, the vehicle steered left instead of right. The Islamabad Police cooperated with me… I will try to do more work in this field,” he said.
He expressed his gratitude to the Islamabad Police for their constructive handling of the situation and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing his research in autonomous technology, aiming to represent Pakistani innovation positively on a global scale.
