Facepalm: Driverless cars were expected to reduce traffic congestion and make roads safer, but they have often malfunctioned at the most inopportune times, causing traffic jams or even crashes that have resulted in loss of life. New viral videos from China once again highlight how dangerous and unpredictable autonomous vehicles can be.
Videos trending on Chinese social media show self-driving delivery vans running amok on city streets – plowing through wet concrete, driving on shoulders and embankments, speeding along potholed roads, blocking traffic, rolling over barriers, and crashing into other vehicles. One clip even appears to show a driverless van speeding on a highway with a motorbike lodged in its wheel arch.
It's unclear when the videos were recorded, but some clips have been shared on X and Instagram, drawing millions of views and thousands of sarcastic comments. While some commentators joked that nothing can stop China's driverless vans, others pointed out that the vehicles continued moving despite correctly identifying the obstructions in front of them.
In China, driverless delivery vans have become a total meme, they plow through crumbling roads, fresh concrete, motorcycles, anything.
– Klara (@klara_sjo) January 11, 2026
Nothing stops them. pic.twitter.com/0t8W6lCKIk
Many social media users expressed shock at the chaos and questioned why Chinese authorities would allow these vehicles to operate on city streets without proper safety checks. Some described the incidents as a "beta test gone wild" and questioned whether autonomous vehicles are truly the future of logistics and human transportation, as tech companies claim.
Self-driving technology will continue to improve in the coming years, but the videos highlight that AI is still not capable of reliably navigating unpredictable human environments, and that even the most advanced automated systems are not yet ready to fully replace humans in real-world conditions.
China's autonomous vehicle network has expanded rapidly in recent years, with companies such as ZTO Express and J&T Express deploying thousands of self-driving vans to transport goods from local logistics hubs to consumers' homes. Currently, autonomous vehicles in China operate at up to Level 2 ADAS, but major automakers expect to receive approval for Level 3 systems by the end of this year.
Despite the push for higher levels of vehicle automation, China recently slowed automakers' plans to sell more advanced self-driving cars following a tragic crash involving the Xiaomi SU7 last March. The incident, which occurred in Anhui Province, killed three female university students when the vehicle struck a barrier at 72 miles per hour while in self-driving mode.