Subaru EyeSight : Watching Ahead, Even When You’re Not!

February 10, 2017February 10, 2017 Louis new tech, Safety, Subaru

Safety systems on cars get better every year. New technologies appear on the market every month. All the automotive manufacturers fight to be on the front line on ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System). But not very long ago, only luxury cars like Mercedes, BMW, Infinity, and others over 50 000$USD, had driver assistance technology. And I don’t talk about GPS or Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) here, I mean adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, collision avoidance system and even driver drowsiness detection.

But nowadays, more affordable vehicles come standard with some kind of ADAS. At The Montréal AutoShow, taking place from January 2oth to the 29th, Jee and I went to look at what Subaru was offering in term of safety on their car line-up this year.

Why did we head towards Subaru’s booth, you may ask? On any other day, it would have been because we both love Subarus to the point it’s almost a religion now. But, that day, it was probably because the Japanese automaker was actively promoting his newest development in driver assistance with banner and neon signs.

The EyeSight Technology

Subaru engineered an interesting system that put an extra set of eyes on the road to assist you, the EyeSight Technology. EyeSight is managing adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, lane sway or departure warning and pre-collision throttle management at the same time. With all the common distractions of today’s life, whether it’s cell phone use, eating or drinking, browsing radio channels or taking a selfie with your dog; EyeSight will keep you on the road. It could even brake for you in case of an emergency.

So, How Does It Work?

What EyeSight actually do is using two cameras mounted on the inside of the windshield, near the rearview mirror, to constantly watch and evaluate the distance of potential dangers ahead. If the system detects an abnormal short distance with the vehicle in front of you, it will send an audible alarm as a warning. If you don’t react by applying the brakes, the system will start braking automatically and will keep a safe distance with obstacles or even come to a full stop if necessary.

That’s not all. EyeSight can also reduce the throttle and send an audible alarm, giving more time for the driver to react to whatever is in front of you. Also, to optimize cruise control, EyeSight adjust the speed in real time to maintain the selected speed/distance between you and the vehicle ahead. It even works in stop-and-go traffic on the highway! The system can also alert you if the car starts drifting off the lanes.

Take a look at this video for a quick overview of how it works!

Last Words

I find pretty awesome that even the Subaru Impreza, starting at 21 195$USD / 28 905$CAD, have that level of ADAS. Safety systems are becoming available at an affordable price for more people. It’s only looking good for the future!

One thing is sure, though. You’re not the only one driving anymore…

Also, just in case you would like to watch the Stig review the EyeSight!

And for even more info, check out Subaru’s website.