‘Tesla: The Masla?’: ‘Self-driving’ car dream derails as Pakistani prototype slams into police vehicle; Watch

What was meant to be a proud showcase of homegrown innovation turned into an internet spectacle within seconds. A Pakistani innovator’s “driverless” car veered off script during a live demonstration in Islamabad, only to crash straight into a parked police van. The incident unfolded at D-Chowk, near Parliament House, one of the city’s most high-security zones. Journalist Muhammad Aalijah was reportedly in the front passenger seat, documenting the ambitious project, when things took a sudden and very public nosedive.

Footage from the scene shows Aalijah explaining the vehicle’s features as it moves forward under remote operation. The car, controlled via satellite and the internet by an off-site operator, initially appears stable, until it doesn’t. Moments later, the steering seems to glitch. The vehicle continues rolling forward, refusing to respond, heading directly toward a police van. Aalijah frantically reaches for the handbrake, but it’s too late. The car collides with the vehicle, causing minor damage. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

What went wrong? ‘Internet disruption’

Presenting Pakistan’s answer to the self driving @Tesla:

— Ranvir Shorey (@RanvirShorey) August 31, 2026

The Masla. pic.twitter.com/b5I63UYiEk

According to Aalijah, the culprit was a technical failure triggered by connectivity issues.

“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 said. The system, he clarified, wasn’t fully autonomous but relied on remote control via an internet connection. Once that link dropped, so did control of the car.

‘There’s no shortage of talent…’ timing gone wrong

In perhaps the most viral moment of the clip, the journalist can be heard saying, “Yakeene taur pe Pakistan mein talent ki koi kami nahi hain (There’s no shortage of talent in Pakistan),” just seconds before the crash. The irony wasn’t lost on viewers.

Social media wasted no time turning the mishap into meme gold. Comments ranged from cheeky advice, “Instead of messing with the handbrake, if you’d turned the steering wheel, maybe you’d have saved it,” to outright comedy: “I swear I wasn’t driving, sir.” Another user summed it up perfectly: “The irony of saying: ‘There is no shortage of talent in Pakistan,’ then crashing into the one car you probably shouldn’t.”

car turned that nigga in https://t.co/43pA2ueNQb

— kordell (@lledrok) August 31, 2026

Pakistani man showcases FUTURE OF SELF-DRIVING CARS as car DRIVES ITSELF INTO POLICE CAR pic.twitter.com/eBbWQPu6MR

— RT (@RT_com) September 1, 2026

This vid is way funnier with translation, he literally says "there's no shortage of talent in pakistan" as he slams into the cop car 💀 https://t.co/m564vjj05D pic.twitter.com/bk6tcLMlp2

— Alex Volkov (@altryne) August 31, 2026

🇵🇰 Pakistan demonstrated the future of autonomous driving by remotely crashing into the police

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 1, 2026

Writer: Solpic.twitter.com/201abnt8TB

The video has racked up over million views on X.