Tesla Car Crash in France: 4 Dead as Vehicle Bursts Into Flames

Paris: At least four people were killed in a car crash in France after their Tesla vehicle reportedly hit a road sign and caught fire, police said Monday.

A local police spokesman, Lt. Eric Hoarau, said the exact circumstances of the crash Saturday night near the city of Niort were still to be determined and an investigation was underway.

"Everything suggests (the vehicle) came off the road,” Hoarau said, citing marks on the ground and a severed road sign.

There were no witnesses, he said, making the investigation complicated.

The driver and three passengers were burnt beyond recognition, he said.

This accident occurred just days after Tesla CEO Elon Musk introduced a new electric vehicle designed specifically for self-driving. The robotaxi is an autonomous vehicle built without a steering wheel or pedals, which means it will require regulatory approval before it can enter production.

(With inputs from AP)