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Tesla Driver Blames Full Self-Driving After Model 3 Hits Rail-Crossing Gate

A driver said a Tesla Model 3 on FSD approached a crossing in heavy fog and hit its gate. The report does not establish the software state or cause.

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A Tesla Model 3 driver said Full Self-Driving (FSD) was active when the car approached a railroad crossing in heavy fog and struck its gate. The driver alleged the system did not slow or change course until they took control. The account, reported by CarExpert on May 20, 2024, does not establish the car’s software state or explain why it hit the gate.

What happened at the crossing

CarExpert reported that footage showed a Model 3 approaching a level crossing in heavy fog and hitting the crossing gate. The driver said FSD was engaged and that the car continued toward the crossing until they intervened shortly before impact. The driver also said this was the second time in six months that the Tesla had attempted to drive toward a passing train while in FSD mode. CarExpert’s report attributes these details to the footage and the driver; it does not independently verify FSD engagement, provide vehicle logs, or identify a technical cause.

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The driver, identified in the report by the forum username cdotyjj, wrote: “This is not an attempt at “insurance fraud.” It is very concerning to me that the FSD system has failed to recognise a train crossing twice.” That is the owner’s allegation, not a confirmed conclusion by an investigator or regulator. The reported impact was with the crossing gate; the report does not say the Tesla struck the train.

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What Tesla says FSD (Supervised) can and cannot do

Tesla’s current FSD (Supervised) support page describes assistance with tasks including lane changes, turns, and navigating around vehicles and objects. It also states: “None of these advanced driver assistance features make your Tesla vehicle fully autonomous or replace you as the driver.” Tesla says the driver remains responsible for vehicle speed and control at all times.

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Tesla’s Model S Owner’s Manual warns drivers: “NEVER make assumptions and predict when and where Full Self-Driving (Supervised) will stop or continue through an intersection or road marking.” It tells drivers to pay attention, be prepared to act immediately, and decide whether to stop or continue at an intersection. The manual also cautions that FSD (Supervised) may rarely fail to slow, stop, or resume control appropriately for a stop sign or traffic light.

Those are general instructions for supervised driving, not an explanation of the 2024 crossing event. The available account does not establish what the system detected, what the driver saw, or what caused the gate strike.

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What regulators and lawmakers have said

In May 2024 correspondence, NHTSA said Tesla had told agency staff that its manual, interface, and video messaging explained that the vehicle was not autonomous and that drivers had to remain vigilant and in control. The agency also raised concern that some Tesla reposts could lead viewers to interpret FSD (Supervised) as a chauffeur or robotaxi service, rather than a driver-assistance system requiring persistent attention and occasional intervention. This was commentary on public messaging, not a finding about the Model 3 at the crossing. See NHTSA’s correspondence and its related discussion of the concern.

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In a letter dated September 29, 2025, Senators Edward Markey and Richard Blumenthal asked NHTSA to investigate rail-crossing behavior. Citing NBC News, they said at least six Tesla owners had reported near-collisions or crashes at or near train tracks while FSD was engaged. That is a count of reports relayed in the senators’ letter, not an official NHTSA tally or a verified failure rate. The letter also describes a separate Ohio report in which a Tesla hit an active crossing arm and skidded near an oncoming train; it says the car hit the gate, not the train. That separate account should not be confused with the 2024 Model 3 report. The senators’ request does not by itself establish that NHTSA opened an investigation or found a defect. Read the senators’ letter and its description of the separate Ohio case.

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What the reporting does—and does not—establish

  • Reported: A Model 3 hit a rail-crossing gate in heavy fog, and the driver said FSD was active.
  • Not independently established: The vehicle’s software state, the system’s precise behavior, or the technical reason for the impact.
  • Official product guidance: Tesla describes FSD (Supervised) as driver assistance and says the driver remains responsible and must be ready to intervene.
  • Separate oversight context: NHTSA criticized aspects of public messaging, while senators later asked the agency to investigate reports. Neither is a finding about the cause of this specific gate strike.

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