Understanding Subaru EyeSight

All writers, no matter how talented or fastidious, have editors. Having a second set of eyes before something gets published is always good. The stakes are significantly higher when the activity is driving. That is why, since 2019, Subaru has been equipping its vehicles with its EyeSight safety and driver assist system. Because no matter how good a driver you are, having a second set of eyes is always helpful. In this blog, Twin Falls Subaru explains what EyeSight is, what it does, and how it can improve your driving experience. 

The core of the EyeSight system is a set of dual-color cameras located near the inside rearview mirror. These cameras observe the road ahead for unanticipated danger. The observations are entered into a central processor, which views the situation, considers the current speed, and determines whether the driver’s actions show a reaction to such danger. The primary systems that comprise Subaru EyeSight are: 

• Pre-Collision Braking 
• Pre-Collision throttle control 
• Automatic Emergency Steering 
• Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control 
• Adaptive Cruise Control 
• Lane Departure & Sway Warning 

Pre-Collision Braking 

If a vehicle ahead suddenly stops or decelerates, the cameras will calculate the distance between it and your car. Considering the speed of the vehicle’s approach and your vehicle’s speed, if there is time, it will issue a warning. Still, if it calculates that immediate action must be taken, it will apply the brakes itself to avoid a collision. Studies have shown that rear-end collisions have been reduced by 49% by vehicles with this kind of system on board. 

Pre-Collision Throttle Control 

This works primarily to avoid collisions in low-speed situations. A common occurrence is on a freeway in stop-and-go traffic. After being stopped, the vehicle moves ahead, and so do you. The vehicle ahead suddenly stops again just as you are accelerating; pre-collision Throttle Control can defeat the acceleration at that moment, giving you more time to respond and brake. If you don’t brake in time, Pre-Collision Braking will activate. 

Automatic Emergency Steering 

You’ve been there. Something causes you to emergency brake, and if you don’t think you will stop in time, you quickly steer for an escape route to avoid a collision. EyeSight will operate in the same way. When Pre-Collision Braking alone isn’t enough to prevent an accident, it will engage Automatic Emergency Steering to help maneuver you safely around the obstruction in your path. 

Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering 

Cruise control systems have helped drivers on long trips for decades, but they only worked on wide-open highways with little traffic. Adaptive Cruise Control lets you set and maintain a desired speed. Still, when you encounter a slower vehicle in front of you, it will allow the system to be used among traffic. It will maintain a safe distance previously set from the vehicle in front of you and match its speed even if it slows to a stop. If you change to an open lane, the system will return to your desired speed. 

The Lane-Centering feature monitors the lane markings on either side of the vehicle and automatically centers the vehicle between them, even on highway curves. 

This is particularly helpful in keeping the vehicle from swaying to the right or left when you need to reach for something. Though you can feel the steering wheel operating independently, you can always overpower it with your own steering. 

Lane Departure and Sway Warning 

While the lane centering feature above needs to be engaged, the Lane Departure a Sway Warning feature is automatic. Using Lane Centering’s ability to detect lane borders, the system will issue a visual and audible warning if you approach a lane edge and no turn signal is activated. If no action is taken, the system can automatically return to the center of the lane. Again, you can always overpower automatic steering actions when necessary.  

Perfectly Alert All the Time  

In general, EyeSight acts like we would when we are completely alert to everything around us while driving. We would like to think we can always be that alert, but we are only human, and inevitably, our minds can turn to other things. EyeSight can help prevent that human quality from having dire consequences.  

Subaru has long prioritized driver and passenger safety, which is why EyeSight is included in every new Subaru we sell. To see how the system works, visit Twin Falls Subaru and test drive a new Subaru.