Tesla 'Full Self-Driving' Tried to Drive Owner into a Lake, Viral Video Shows

The latest incident involving Tesla's advanced driver assistance system raises serious concerns about its readiness.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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A Tesla owner posted a viral video showing the car's 'Full Self-Driving' feature attempting to drive the vehicle into a lake, the latest in a string of alarming failures of the system. The incident has racked up over 1 million views on social media, adding to growing scrutiny of Tesla's self-driving capabilities as the company faces regulatory pressure and investigations.

Why it matters

Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' feature has faced mounting criticism and safety concerns as videos of dangerous incidents continue to surface. This latest case highlights the system's limitations and the gap between Tesla's marketing claims and the technology's actual capabilities, raising questions about whether the company should be allowed to continue using the 'Full Self-Driving' branding.

The details

In the video, the Tesla owner, Daniel Milligan, shows the car's 'Full Self-Driving' feature attempting to steer the vehicle directly into a lake. The incident occurred while using the latest FSD version 14.2.2.4, which Tesla had characterized as a polished and fine-tuned build. However, the video demonstrates that dangerous edge cases persist, with the system failing to recognize the lake as an obstacle. This is the latest in a pattern of alarming 'Full Self-Driving' failures that Electrek has been tracking, including crashes, veering into oncoming traffic, and other serious incidents.

  • The video was posted to X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, February 16, 2026.
  • The Tesla was running FSD version 14.2.2.4, which was released in late January 2026.

The players

Daniel Milligan

A Tesla owner who posted the viral video showing his car's 'Full Self-Driving' feature attempting to drive into a lake.

Ashok Elluswamy

Tesla's head of Autopilot AI, who was tagged in Milligan's post.

Tesla

The automaker that developed the 'Full Self-Driving' feature, which has faced growing scrutiny and regulatory pressure.

NHTSA

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has launched investigations into Tesla's driver assistance systems, including 'Full Self-Driving'.

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What they’re saying

“My Tesla tried to drive me into a lake today!”

— Daniel Milligan (X (formerly Twitter)

What’s next

The NHTSA investigation into Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' system and its failure to properly report crashes is ongoing, and regulators will likely need to decide whether Tesla can continue to market the feature as 'Full Self-Driving' given the persistent safety concerns.

The takeaway

This incident further highlights the significant gap between Tesla's marketing claims for 'Full Self-Driving' and the technology's actual capabilities, raising serious questions about the system's readiness and the company's transparency. As more dangerous failures come to light, regulators may need to intervene to ensure Tesla's advanced driver assistance features are accurately represented and do not put drivers and the public at risk.