New Delhi . The display of new technology in Pakistan became a topic of discussion when the live test of a driverless car suddenly turned into an accident. The car, which was being operated through remote and internet, lost control and collided with a police van parked on the roadside in D-Chowk area of Islamabad. The entire incident was captured on camera and its video started going viral rapidly on social media. The incident once again raised the question of how strong security arrangements are required before automated and remote control technology can be used on public roads.
According to the information, live testing of driving the car in driverless or auto mode was being done. The car was not being controlled directly by a driver sitting in it, but was being operated remotely through internet and satellite connections. Journalist Muhammad Alija was sitting on the front passenger seat of the car and was giving information about the technology of the car and its features during the test. Initially everything appeared normal and the car kept moving forward but after some time the situation suddenly changed.
During the test, the control of the remote controlled steering started deteriorating. The car moved ahead on the road and started moving straight towards the police van parked on the side. The journalist present inside the car tried to handle the situation and in the video he is also seen pulling the handbrake to stop the car. Despite this, the car could not be stopped in time and it collided with the police van. This entire incident happened within a few moments and the live test quickly became an example of a technical glitch.
According to journalist Muhammad Alija, initially the car's system was working properly but after a problem in the internet connection, a technical glitch occurred. He said that the car was being controlled remotely through the internet and after the connection was interrupted, its control got affected. The test was being conducted while reporting on the experiment of automated driving technology involving Abbottabad-based technology enthusiast Ehsan Zafar.
After the incident, many reactions were seen on social media on the viral video. Some users made funny comments about this experiment of driverless car, while many people called it an example of lack of safety in testing new technology. However, journalist Alija later clarified that her aim was not to defame any young tech innovator. According to him, it is important to understand the efforts of people working on such technology but safety should be given first priority in any new experiment.
He also warned that if the car had lost control in a similar manner on a busy road, the consequences could have been much more serious. Other vehicles and pedestrians on the road could also be in danger. This event is also important because the technology of driverless and automated vehicles is being seen as the future of transportation but with it the need for reliable internet connection and strong security system is equally important.
Currently, this video from Islamabad is being discussed on social media and the debate regarding the safety of driverless technology has also intensified. The collision with the police van in the live test made it clear that in the use of new technology, it is not enough to have a modern system, but in case of its failure, a strong security system and a reliable backup system is also very important.