Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' System Breaches Railroad Crossing Barriers

Dashcam footage shows Tesla Model 3 driving through lowered railroad crossing gates in Los Angeles area

Mar. 10, 2026 at 6:08pm

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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. The incident raises questions about the system's ability to detect physical obstacles at the same height as the vehicle's front-facing cameras.

Why it matters

This is the latest in a documented pattern of Tesla Full Self-Driving failures at railroad crossings, with an NBC News investigation uncovering over 40 reports of FSD problems at such locations. The incident comes as Tesla faces a federal investigation by NHTSA into FSD traffic violations, including those related to railroad crossings.

The details

The dashcam footage shows the Tesla Model 3 failing to detect the lowered railroad crossing barriers and driving straight through them without slowing down. 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 perceive physical obstacles at that level. The driver applied the brakes around the time of impact, but the intervention came too late to prevent the collision.

  • The incident occurred on Sunday, March 8, 2026, near West Covina, California.
  • March 9, 2026 is the deadline for Tesla to deliver crucial crash data to NHTSA as part of an ongoing investigation into FSD traffic violations.

The players

Laushi Liu

The individual who posted the dashcam footage of the incident on social media.

Tesla

The American electric vehicle company that developed the Full Self-Driving system involved in the incident.

Elon Musk

The CEO of Tesla and the individual who has marketed the Full Self-Driving feature.

NHTSA

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the federal agency investigating Tesla's Full Self-Driving system and its traffic violations.

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What they’re saying

“Tesla FSD almost killed me that day.”

— Laushi Liu

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing concerns and challenges surrounding Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology, particularly its ability to reliably detect and respond to physical obstacles like railroad crossing barriers. The federal investigation into FSD traffic violations will likely intensify scrutiny on Tesla's marketing and safety claims around this feature.