Dozens of Tesla owners who utilize the car’s self-driving technology claim they’ve narrowly avoided wrecks at railroad crossings because their vehicles have been unable to detect the flashing lights, crossing signs or folding arms at the intersections.
Via posts on online forums and in interviews with news outlets, several Tesla drivers allege their car’s Full Self-Driving mode has either completely ignored the railroad crossing or stopped on top of the tracks, forcing them to take control of the car in a scary situation.
“It felt like it was going to run through the arms,” Italo Frigoli, a Tesla driver from North Texas, told NBC News while recounting a time when his car ignored flashing lights and descending guard rails that indicated a train was incoming.
“So obviously I just slammed on the brakes,” Frigoli said.
Tesla’s website explicitly says Full Self-Driving should only be utilized under human supervision for “quick errands, daily commutes and road trips.”
While the company has become known for its high-tech vehicles, it admits that the features currently available require “active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous.” But it also touts that the technology “intelligently and accurately” completes driving maneuvers for the driver, such as route navigation, steering, lane changes, parking and more.”
The Independent has asked Tesla for comment.
Other drivers have shared similar experiences. In one Reddit thread, a user said his partner was forced to physically back the car up into a crossing rail because his Tesla Model 3 stopped in the middle of the tracks while a train was approaching.
“There was a green traffic light at a railroad crossing and the guards hadn't come down yet to stop traffic. The car in front of us proceeded and FSD [Full Self-Driving] followed it, but the rails came while we were crossing. FSD stopped on the railroad tracks today while a f**** train was coming and then the guard rails went down behind us,” the Reddit user shared.
Despite the incident, the Reddit user said it was “still the best car I’ve ever owned.”
Last May, footage of a Tesla driver encountering the same problem went viral after the self-driving car failed to detect a passing train and narrowly avoided a major crash on the tracks.
In an online discussion on Tesla Motors Club, at least three drivers said the vehicle’s self-driving had either not recognized train tracks and continued driving right across without slowing down or stopped on the tracks.
“My 2025 [Model Y Long Range, all-wheel drive] slowed at one fairly rough [railroad] crossing on [Full Self-Driving]. And yet, at a worse rough crossing, [Full Self-Driving] blew right across tracks, shaking the p*** out of the car,” the forum user said.
Still, the user contended, that the car was not meant to be autonomous and it requires supervision for a reason.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration told NBC News it was aware of the incidents and had been “in communication with the manufacturer.”
“NHTSA discusses issues frequently with manufacturers and prioritizes the safety of all road users. The agency continuously analyzes consumer complaints to determine whether a potential vehicle safety defect trend exists,” NHTSA told the news outlet.
“We will continue to enforce the law on all manufacturers of motor vehicles and equipment, in accordance with the Vehicle Safety Act and our data-driven, risk-based investigative process,” it continued.
While some have shared stories about their Tesla’s self-driving function being less than perfect, others have said their vehicles have been able to detect railroad crossings while in Full Self-Driving mode. More people appear to have praised the technology than complained about its shortcomings online.
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