Subaru Eyesight for Liberty and Outback later this year | CarAdvice

Car Advice
  • Home
  • »  Subaru Eyesight for Liberty and Outback later this year

Subaru Eyesight for Liberty and Outback later this year

SUBARU LIBERTY
By Alborz Fallah |
FIND DEALS

Subaru is set to equip Liberty and Outback models with its succesful EyeSight technology in the later part of this year.

The idea is simple, equip vehicles with an eye that can detect potential collisions and help drivers in preventing accidents.

Subaru EyeSight system will see tiny road-facing cameras placed on each side of the rear-view mirror. These little units in conjunction with the car’s onboard computer can then work out between them if they need to jump in and assist the driver when a collision is imminent.

Australia will become the first market outside of Japan to adapt the technology. According to Nick Senior, Managing Director of Subaru Australia, more than 50 percent of Liberty models sold in the land of the rising sun are now equipped with EyeSight.

The technology has been undergoing rigorous testing in Australia for the last 12 months and will add even more kudos to the Japanese brand’s infallible reputation in safety.

At its core the idea is similar to Volvo’s CitySafe, but is likely to perform better when shown to the media. EyeSight works in numerous situations (as described below by Subaru):

  • Pre-crash braking – applies the brakes when a vehicle ahead is detected slowing or stopping suddenly (and the driver has failed to apply the brakes).
  • Pre-crash brake assist – if the system determines that a collision is highly likely and the driver applies the brakes, the system can generate 1G maximum deceleration to help reduce impact or damage.
  • Progressive Start Control – if a driver accidentally applies full throttle close to a barrier or large object situated in front of the car (such as a car park wall or vehicle immediately ahead at close range), EyeSightTM inhibits the throttle opening, helping minimise or potentially avoid impact. This will also assist in helping to reduce impacts in situations when “Drive” is accidentally selected instead of “Reverse.”
  • Adaptive Cruise control – is designed to maintain a safe distance from the ‘target’ car in front irrespective of the varying speed of that vehicle.
  • Lane Departure Warning – alerts the driver if the system determines that the car is drifting across clearly marked lanes.
  • Vehicle Sway Warning - alerts the driver if the car starts to sway from one side of the road to another, which may occur with fatigue.
  • Progressive Motion Monitor - when the EyeSightTM-equipped vehicle is stopped and the vehicle in front starts to move, the driver receives an audible reminder and information display indicator notifying them that the vehicle in front has moved.

Only a few years ago this type of technology was exclusive to the likes of BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. These days it’s an ever decreasing time-frame from when the Europeans showcase a new technology and when the rest of the world quickly picks it up and puts it into more affordable vehicles.

CarAdvice will bring you a review of the EyeSight system when it lands in Australian showrooms.


 

  • RS5 II

    looks good, I hope all cars come standard with this kind of technology…

  • macca

    sounds like a good idea.

    anyway, is the new Liberty selling well? haven’t seen many on the road at all…

  • TonyB

    “Subaru EyeSight system will see tiny road-facing cameras placed on each side of the rear-view mirror”.
    If that second photo is anything to go by the cameras are hardly tiny. Still agree we will start to see more of this technology filtering down to more affordable cars.

  • Nick K

    Maybe the system could be called Eyesore, to match the looks of the Liberty.

    • RS5 II

      Nice :)

    • brent

      perhaps if they send Eyesight to the people in their design department?

  • RS5 II

    Nice one :)

  • paul

    Ford Mondeo Titaniums have this.
    Its a really Good sytem

    • Alexander

      The Mondeo has a radar cruise control system, which is MUCH different to this, it uses a radar to ensure it doesn’t get too close to the car in front and matches it’s speed…

      • paul

        True
        But go look at the new MC model (if you can find one to look at)It now has multiple sensors in the same spot for the lane departure warning system

        • Alexander

          It’s still not the same thing, this uses two cameras to pretty much create stereoscopic vision, and this combines that with the necessary software for pre-crash warning/brake, lane departure, adaptive cruise control systems etc. It’s far more advance than the radar system the Mondeo uses and ultimately not the same.

  • Flying High

    I am all for it, however it would be nice if Subaru could just make a Cruise Control System that actually controls the speed down long hills and doesn’t put you 10ks over the limit so you get pinged by the inevitable placement of a mobile speed camera or Revenue Collector like Save it for the Track on behalf the cash strapped NSW State Govt.

    • bangel

      So i was not the only silly bugger, i had crappy cruise on my liberty 3.0r .

      I complained about that and the ” mind of of its own sportmatic ” and the poor economy , ignored .

      Maybe all 3 were linked , gone now , was a good drive should have gone manual .

  • Toxic_Horse

    Great. another gadget to take responsibility away from drivers. ‘but your honour, my car eye failed thats why i ran over the grandma’

  • Valet Dabess

    don’t hit the car, don’t hit the kid, don’t hit the cyclist, don’t hit the lady, but if you want to hit the guy on the scooter go ahead

  • Save It for the track

    Yep, people already try and use the “gps told me to do it”, when they turn somewhere they shouldn’t. With all of this technology coming in to allegedly ‘assist’ driver’s one can imagine the plethora of future excuses.
    - Reverse into something ‘the sun was too bright for the camera; – car runs into the back of stopped traffic ‘the car didn’t brake for me’.
    .
    Until the law is changed and the electronic gadgets are defines as ‘driver’s', it will always come down to the driver of a motor vehicle to be IN CONTROL of the steering, braking and propulsion of their motor vehicle, all of which is easily accomplished by some pre-existing conditions. 1. all driver’s have eyes, 2. all motor vehicles currently have a steering wheel, brakes and an accelerator.
    .
    Adding more gadgest to ‘assist’ will in some cases make already poor drivers even worse, and more prone to be distracted by their phone, or having ‘deep and meaningfuls’ with their passengers. Until there are legislated automated systems that can be held responsible for driving, it will always be the human driver that needs to wake up and apply their brakes if they’re going down a hill, open their eyes and read the no entry, no right turn or other signs.
    .
    Many of these systems no doubt will be useful, but should NEVER be relied upon or used as an excuse for poor driving.

  • http://Audi Robj

    Bloody hell. Do we have to keep accepting this less and less driver control? I know how to drive I dont want all this computer tech to drive for me. esp in a Subaru. Make it an option please.

  • yonta

    Good , but :

    what about a revering camera in all of the models?
    would ‘head up display’ prove just as/more safe? And cheaper?

    What about a decent 6 , 7, or 8 speed DSG or auto?