Car drives away without driver as owner runs after it, crashes into cart in Punjab

A man from Punjab found himself in a bizarre situation after his electric car locked itself while he was outside the vehicle and then began moving forward without anyone behind the wheel, eventually crashing into a fruit vendor’s cart and a tree.

X user Nitu shared a video of the incident, in which the man was seen recording the car as it continued moving ahead while he desperately tried to warn other motorists.

In the video, the man could be heard shouting in panic and asking nearby drivers to stay away from the vehicle. He repeatedly said that the car had “locked himself” and that he was “not in control” of it as it moved down the road.

The driverless car then veered towards the roadside and crashed into a fruit vendor’s cart, sending fruits spilling onto the ground and damaging the cart. It continued moving forward before eventually hitting a tree, which brought the vehicle to a stop.

Even after the collision with the tree, the car’s wheels could be seen continuing to rotate for a while, adding to the chaotic scene.

The man later claimed that he had suffered significant damage because of the incident, saying the vehicle had “decided to lock itself” while he was outside and then driven forward “as if it had a mind of its own.”

The post wrote that the vehicle involved was an MG Windsor EV and described the incident as an example of technology creating more problems.

Auto experts who reviewed the footage said the car appeared to have suffered a technical glitch, with its locking system seemingly engaging while the vehicle continued moving forward without the driver inside.

However, the exact cause of the vehicle’s movement was not independently established from the video.

The incident prompted debate over advanced driving and parking features in modern vehicles, particularly in the context of Indian roads. One commenter expressed concern about whether the fruit vendor would be able to seek compensation from a large automobile company if the matter turned into a legal dispute.

Another argued that features involving “auto” or “self” functions could be problematic in India because of poor road conditions, inconsistent lane discipline and unpredictable traffic.

A number of people speculated that the incident could have involved the vehicle’s auto-park assist feature and advised the owner to have the feature checked and disabled at a service centre.- EndsPublished By: Yashna TalwarPublished On: Sep 15, 2026 16:40 IST