Engineers at NED University of Engineering and Technology have carried out a successful trial of what is being called Pakistan’s first driverless car.
The vehicle moved smoothly around the university grounds during the test, gathering interest from students and visitors who watched it in action.
The National Centre for Artificial Intelligence at NED spent the past year working on this project. The team transformed an electric car imported from China into a fully autonomous vehicle by adding robotics, mapping tools, sensor technology, and other advanced systems.
Dr Muhammad Khurram, who leads the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and heads the project, said the car has now reached an advanced testing stage after a year of steady progress.
He explained that the team has developed steering control through radar and computer vision. They are now focusing on detecting objects on the road, identifying lanes, reading speed limits, and understanding traffic signals.
The car currently moves at a speed of fifteen to twenty kilometres per hour and can take turns on its own while assessing approaching traffic.
Team member Inzamam Khan shared that the system is designed to deal with local road challenges such as potholes and rough surfaces, thanks to its high-resolution sensors.
The initiative began when Dr Saroosh Hashmat Lodhi was vice chancellor and has moved forward under the leadership of the current Vice Chancellor Dr Tufail Ahmed. The successful trial marks an important step for the country in both engineering and technological development.