Announced in May 2008, EyeSight is a technological suite that uses two cameras to detect pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vehicles. Rolled out in the U.S. - Subaru’s most important market – in 2012 for the 2013 model year, the EyeSight suite has been fitted to five million vehicles thus far.
“Our top priority is to provide customers with vehicles built to the highest levels of safety,” declared Thomas J. Doll, president and chief executive officer of Subaru’s American division. The problem is, Mr. Doll isn’t exactly correct, given that nine Ascent crossovers were recalled in 2018 due to bad welds. All nine crossovers were replaced with brand-new vehicles.
“Accomplishing this milestone reflects our commitment to improving and innovating the safety features and technology in our vehicles year over year,” added Mr. Doll, who should pressure his subordinates and the peeps in Japan to step up their quality control. Subaru may also want to choose better suppliers, given the Denso low-pressure fuel pump recall from 2021.
Turning our attention back to EyeSight, models equipped with this driver-assist suite currently account for 91 percent of the manufacturer’s global sales. Gifted with Pre-Collision Braking and Adaptive Cruise Control, EyeSight also detects motorcycles in the vehicle’s path. The first U.S.-spec Subarus to receive this suite are the 2013 model year Legacy and Outback.
The Japanese automaker notes that every single 2022 model equipped with EyeSight received the highest possible rating for front crash prevention from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. All eight models that Subaru sells in the United States right now received Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards from the nonprofit organization from Virginia.
According to the IIHS, EyeSight reduces rear-end crashes with injuries by up to 85 percent. When it comes to the rate of pedestrian-related injuries, make that 35 percent. The Highway Loss Data Institute says that EyeSight reduced the rate of pedestrian-related insurance claims by 41 percent.
On an ending note, Subaru intends to eliminate fatal traffic incidents by 2030. To achieve this goal, EyeSight has been improved with a redesigned stereo camera that features a wider viewing angle. Improved image recognition and processing software also need to be mentioned. Combined with Blind Spot Detection and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, EyeSight can help steer the vehicle to avoid a collision at speeds of up to 50 mph (80 kph).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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