Tretyakov and his two children escaped the car with only minor injuries, although the car's battery pack appears to have caught fire, producing explosions and leaving just the vehicle's metal shell.

Tesla declined to comment. In the past, though, Tesla has routinely defended Autopilot, going so far as to create a safety page. It insists that drivers be prepared to take over at any point, and that its system is still far safer overall than conventional driving. Still, this Moscow crash could easily spark further scrutiny. The automaker is already facing criticism for its safety claims, and another incident won't help matters.