A Tesla Model 3 operating on Elon Musk’s Full Self-Driving system drove directly through lowered railroad crossing barriers in the Los Angeles area, according to dashcam footage that has gone viral on social media. Thankfully, there was no accident related to the software mishap.
Electrek reports that the incident occurred on Sunday, March 8, near West Covina, California, when a Tesla Model 3 traveling in Full Self-Driving mode approached an active railroad crossing with barriers already lowered. According to dashcam footage posted by Threads user Laushi Liu, the vehicle failed to detect the crossing gates and drove straight through them without slowing down or showing any indication of recognizing the obstruction.
The crossing barriers were positioned at approximately the same height as the Tesla’s front-facing cameras, raising questions about the system’s ability to detect physical obstacles at that level. The dashcam footage indicates the driver applied the brakes around the time of impact, though the intervention came too late to prevent the collision with the barriers.
Liu captioned the post stating that Tesla FSD almost killed him that day. The video has generated extensive discussion on social media, with commenters debating the responsibilities of both the technology and the driver. Some have emphasized that FSD is classified as a Level 2 system requiring constant driver supervision, while others have criticized Tesla for marketing a product called Full Self-Driving that fails to detect clearly visible railroad crossing barriers.
This incident represents the latest in a documented pattern of Tesla Full Self-Driving failures at railroad crossings. An NBC News investigation uncovered over 40 reports of FSD problems at railroad crossings on social media platforms. The news organization interviewed six Tesla drivers who experienced issues, with four providing video evidence of their encounters.
Breitbart News previously reported on a Tesla EV hit by a train after it went around a barrier in FSD mode:
Electrek reports that in a bizarre incident, a Tesla Model 3 in “full self-driving” mode managed to circumvent a train crossing barrier and subsequently became stuck on the tracks. The driver, who remained unidentified, was able to safely exit the vehicle before a train hit the car.
According to fire alerts issued in Berks County, emergency services were promptly dispatched to the scene. The fire commissioner made the decision to halt all train traffic while crews worked diligently to remove the stranded Model 3 from the tracks, ultimately requiring the use of a crane to complete the task. Spitlers Garage & Towing, the company responsible for the vehicle’s recovery, shared several images of the incident on their Facebook page.
The timing of this viral video coincides with a critical deadline for Tesla. March 9 marks the date by which the company must deliver crucial crash data to NHTSA as part of an ongoing investigation into FSD traffic violations. The federal investigation was launched in October 2025 after the agency connected 58 incidents to the Full Self-Driving system, including 14 crashes and 23 injuries.
By December 2025, the documented violations had expanded to 80 cases, compiled from 62 driver complaints, 14 Tesla reports, and 4 media accounts. The investigation specifically examines railroad crossing failures alongside other traffic violations such as running red lights and crossing into opposing traffic lanes. The probe encompasses approximately 2.88 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD technology.
Tesla has faced challenges complying with NHTSA’s data requests, securing two extensions from the original January 19 deadline. The company first received an extension to February 23, and subsequently to the current March 9 deadline. Tesla informed NHTSA that it had 8,313 records requiring manual review and could only process approximately 300 records per day.
Tesla has charged customers up to $15,000 for the Full Self-Driving feature, marketing it with a name that suggests autonomous capability. The California Department of Motor Vehicles has previously ruled that Tesla’s marketing does not match the reality of the system’s capabilities.
Read more at Electrek here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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