Tesla reportedly saw an uptick in crashes and mistakes after Elon Musk removed radar from its cars

• Tesla had more crashes and near accidents after it eliminated radar, The Washington Post reported.

• The NHTSA opened investigations into reports of incidents involving phantom braking and Autopilot.

• In the past, Elon Musk has spoken out against LiDAR, another type of self-driving sensor.

Since Elon Musk announced that Tesla was doing away with radar sensors on its cars nearly two years ago, the electric-car maker has seen an increase in crashes and near accidents, according to a recent report from The Washington Post.

The publication cited interviews with dozens of former employees, test drivers, and other experts. After the update in 2021, more Teslas running on Autopilot or Full Self-Driving began stopping for imaginary obstacles, misidentifying street signs, and having difficulties identifying emergency vehicles, the Post reported, citing complaints that were filed with regulators.

Some sources told the publication that there was a correlation between the uptick in instances of phantom braking — when a vehicle suddenly stops at random — and the elimination of radar. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is investigating the issue, shows the agency has received hundreds of complaints of phantom braking over the past nine months, the publication said. Last year, over 750 Tesla drivers told the NHTSA their cars had randomly slammed on the brakes while they were driving.

Meanwhile, in 2022 the agency also upgraded its investigation into Autopilot, after over a dozen instances of Teslas crashing into emergency vehicles. The NHTSA has said the driver-assist feature has trouble identifying parked vehicles.

Musk first announced the carmaker would eliminate the use of radars in its cars in 2021. At the time, some engineers were "aghast" and reached out to a former Tesla executive for advice on how to convince Musk not to remove the sensors, the Post reported. Musk has said in the past that he wants Tesla's Full Self-Driving and Autopilot software to mimic human senses by using its cameras — rather than radar — as eyes.