Tesla Full Self-Driving steers car onto train tracks in Santa Monica
Tesla's Full Self-Driving software steered a vehicle onto active light rail tracks in Santa Monica, California on January 2, 2025, forcing the driver to disengage the system and run a red light to avoid an approaching train. The incident exposed a failure of the autonomous system to distinguish between a road lane and parallel train tracks.
What happened
On January 2, 2025, Jesse Lyu, founder and CEO of AI startup Rabbit Inc, was driving his Tesla with Full Self-Driving (FSD) software v13.2.2 engaged in Santa Monica, California. When turning left onto Colorado Avenue at a traffic light, the Tesla steered onto the street-grade light rail tracks of the Metro E Line instead of merging into the proper road lane.
The tracks were bordered by a low concrete barrier on one side and a fence on the other, preventing the car from simply moving to an adjacent lane. A light rail train was stopped approximately one block behind the vehicle. Lyu disengaged Autopilot and ran a red light at the next intersection to escape the train's path.
Reported impact
Lyu reported being "literally shaking" during the incident. He stated in dashcam video commentary that he had "nowhere to go" and feared he "could get killed because of this." The incident forced him to violate traffic laws to avoid a potential collision with the oncoming train.
Index analysis
The incident highlights a failure of Tesla's FSD system to distinguish between a road lane and a street-grade light rail track that runs parallel to the roadway. The system's inability to navigate this scenario safely represents a gap in autonomous driving perception or decision-making under real-world conditions.
Governance controls
In October 2024, the federal agency responsible for regulating auto safety launched an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD software after four reported collisions, including a 2023 fatal crash.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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