Subaru puts safety before style: Customers love this new technology

Its not enough for an automaker to offer a safety system on their cars. The safety system needs to work and also impress the drivers who use them. The previous generation EyeSight safety system was good and Subaru just made it even better. Subaru announced the debut of a new and improved version of its popular EyeSight driver assistance system.

The previous generation EyeSight was popular and it worked. Research shows that nine out of ten Subaru customers who purchased the optional EyeSight system would recommend it, and more than half say that the system has helped them avoid an accident. That’s a strong recommendation from Subaru owners.

The current generation EyeSight system earned the highest rating given by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), superior, when the IIHS conducted it first test of accident avoidance technology last year. So why did Subaru feel the need to improve the already successful safety system?

Subaru has been developing safe cars for decades and it’s who they are as an automaker. They have a goal of having the safest cars on the planet. The new-generation EyeSight now features color stereo cameras that deliver an approximately 40 percent longer and wider detection range, brake light detection and can now fully function when the speed differential between the Eyesight equipped car and another vehicle is up to 30 mph, up from 19 mph.

How does new EyeSight work?

Subaru wanted the new-generation EyeSight to have a quicker reaction time over the outgoing model. The system is mounted inside the car on the upper edge of the windshield and the housing for the new Eyesight system has been made 15 percent smaller. Other automakers use bumper-mounted systems that can be damaged easily due to minor accidents. While it may not be the most visually appealing, Subaru puts safety over style to ensure the quickest reaction time of the new-generation EyeSight.

EyeSight processes stereo images to identify vehicles traveling in front, any obstacles, traffic lanes and other potential hazards. Information is then relayed to the EyeSight computer, which is also networked with the car’s braking system and electronic throttle control. It can even detect pedestrians in the vehicle’s path and notify the driver. At speeds under 30 mph, Eyesight is able to bring the car to a complete stop, thus avoiding a collision.

The Eyesight system utilizes three safety systems, adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, and vehicle lane departure warning. Adaptive Cruise Control maintains a safe distance from the vehicle in front on the freeway, automatically braking or accelerating the car to maintain the “driver-selected target speed and traveling distance.” The system can be very useful in heavy stop and go traffic, where many accidents can occur, by maintaining distance from the vehicle ahead.

Pre-Collision Braking is always on in the background to act as a second set of eyes for the driver. Many Subaru owners take their multi-use vehicles off-road, and it can also be turned off temporarily for off-road or rough road use. Lane departure warning monitors traffic lanes and lines and can detect if the car begins to wander outside the intended lane without a turn signal being used, or begins to sway within the travel lane. Using the turn signal cancels the warning.

Subaru is committed to building the safest cars on the planet and the new-generation EyeSight is proof that the Japanese automaker is more concerned about safety than style in their multi-use vehicles. Subaru is also debuting three additional technologies in all 2015 models later this year. These new systems will be introduced on Subaru’s product line-up starting in 2014.