A growing number of Tesla drivers have reported alarming incidents involving their vehicles' Full Self-Driving (FSD) package and railroad crossings.
What's happening?
As NBC News reported, six drivers have come forward to share their harrowing stories about potentially deadly accidents involving their Tesla vehicles. The common thread among these incidents was the vehicle's FSD package failing to properly interpret railroad crossings.
Tesla driver Italo Frigoli captured his frightening experience on video while his vehicle pulled up to a crossing. "It felt like it was going to run through the arms," Frigoli said. "So obviously I just slammed on the brakes."
Jared Cleaver, a Tesla owner in Oakland, California, has also experienced several mishaps while driving his 2021 Tesla Model 3. However, the most notable incident occurred last fall at a railroad crossing while the vehicle was in FSD mode.
Although he claims that the car came to a complete stop before the crossing, it jolted forward as if it was ready to continue onward. He also needed to slam on the brakes to ensure that the car wouldn't put him in further danger. To make matters worse, Cleaver revealed that the same mishap happened a second time, this time on camera.
Why are these Tesla incidents important?
Despite the repeated incidents, Cleaver has not been persuaded to abandon Tesla, but he still has his reservations. "I think it doesn't perform nearly as well as Elon [Musk] claims and Tesla claims, but I think it is good," Cleaver said. "They seem to make a habit out of making these really big claims and then falling short. It bothers me. It seems like borderline false advertising."
Earlier this year, Tesla was issued a warning by France's General Directorate for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) for what it deemed to be "false advertising" in regard to the EV manufacturer's FSD technology. The DGCCRF concluded that Tesla overstated the capabilities of its technology.
Tesla's FSD technology allows the advanced driver-assistance system to handle steering, accelerating, and braking. But as the company has stressed, the driver must be prepared to take over at any time during the drive, keeping their hands on the steering wheel at all times.
As seen in the multiple incidents involving railroad crossings, this safety measure can prevent a disaster from occurring. However, with a rising number of FSD-related incidents, prospective car buyers may be dissuaded from making the switch to EVs. This could prolong our reliance on planet-heating fossil fuels.
What's being done about Tesla's FSD technology?
YouTube channel The Art of Value shared a video of an incident where a Tesla employee inside a Robotaxi in Austin, Texas, had to intervene to stop the vehicle from continuing into the railroad crossing arms. "I agree, it's really dangerous. I can't believe there's been 10 years of development and it still has this problem," the YouTube creator wrote in a comment.
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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the multiple railroad crossing incidents are on its radar. "We are aware of the incidents and have been in communication with the manufacturer," the NHTSA said in a statement to NBC News. "The agency continuously analyzes consumer complaints to determine whether a potential vehicle safety defect trend exists."
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