Is EyeSight Defective? A Second Lawsuit Is Now Filed Against Subaru

Subaru of America is hit with a second class-action lawsuit involving 2013-2021 Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, and other models equipped with the brand's EyeSight driver assist technology. The new Subaru lawsuit says the Camden, N.J. automaker knowingly sold vehicles with faulty safety technology.

A new report from Law360 (by subscription) says the recent class-action lawsuit was filed against Subaru of America in New Jersey federal court last week. Subaru Eyesight is standard equipment on the 2021 Subaru Forester, 2022 Outback, 2022 Subaru Ascent, and 2022 Subaru Legacy models.

Eyesight includes technology like autonomous braking and lane-keeping systems. The new class-action says Subaru concealed the defects to boost profits on its most popular models.

Several named plaintiffs from half a dozen states filed the class-action lawsuit last week claiming their vehicle's autonomous emergency braking system (AEB) either failed to stop their Subaru vehicle when it was needed or was "erroneously triggered by a shadow, rain or something that was not an actual object in the road."

Subaru says, "EyeSight is like having an extra set of eyes on the road and, if need be, an extra foot on the brake when you drive." EyeSight uses stereo cameras mounted at the top of the windshield to monitor traffic movement, optimize the cruise control, and warn the driver if the vehicle sways outside the lane. Subaru says EyeSight has been found to reduce the rate of rear-end crashes with injuries by up to 85 percent.

Torque News has reported the advantages of the Subaru EyeSight safety technology and its many benefits. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has given 2021 Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, and other models a 'Superior' rating in front crash prevention when equipped with EyeSight driver assist technology.

Should customers and shoppers be concerned about EyeSight?

There are thousands of Subaru vehicles with EyeSight safety technology on the road today without any reported problems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) does not report any defective Subaru EyeSight recalls.

Subaru located the EyeSight cameras inside the vehicle at the top of the windshield to avoid dirt, ice, snow, and debris from abstracting the cameras. Subaru offers one of the best driver-assist safety systems available. Still, no system is perfect all the time because it's impossible to keep the windshield clean 100 percent of the time.

Many new Subaru all-wheel-drive vehicles now come standard with EyeSight driver assist technology. The new lawsuit alleges defects in EyeSights make the safety technology useless and dangerous and that Subaru increases its profits by inflating the prices of its most popular models.

The 2021 Subaru Forester, 2022 Subaru Outback, most 2021 Subaru Crosstrek, and other models are the most affordable vehicles with standard safety technology available for SUV shoppers. Torque News via Subaru Report will bring updates on the two Subaru lawsuits as they become available.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: Subaru USA