Tesla Full Self-Driving fails at railroad crossing, nearly causes train collision
A Tesla vehicle in Full Self-Driving mode failed to detect a railroad crossing in Texas and broke through the barrier, nearly colliding with a moving train. The driver escaped without serious injury, and a U.S. investigation was opened following the incident.
What happened
A Tesla vehicle operating in Full Self-Driving mode at a railroad crossing in Plano, Texas failed to recognize the presence of the crossing and broke through the barrier while a train was approaching.
The driver, Joshua Brown, stated: 'In the moment I realized the car was moving, the barrier was right there in front of me.' Video footage from the vehicle's interior camera captured the car accelerating, breaking the barrier, and crossing in front of the moving train.
Reported impact
The driver narrowly avoided collision with the train, passing within metres of it at high speed. Brown stated he 'escaped as if by miracle' and was visibly shaken by the incident.
Index analysis
The system did not detect the railroad crossing despite it being a defined traffic feature that the vehicle approached while in autonomous mode.
Governance controls
An investigation was opened in the United States following the incident.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.