Subaru had a unique take on advanced safety systems like adaptive cruise control, lane departure and pre-collision systems. Most companies use a collection of radar sensors, but Subaru’s EyeSight employs a 3D camera array mounted to the headliner to scan the road ahead.
The system had many perks, like being protected from the elements and road debris, but it was bulky and was not as sensitive as some other radar based systems. Now Subaru has announced a new and upgraded version of the EyeSight system that looks to address those criticisms. The camera array itself is much smaller so its less intrusive into the cabin and improves sight lines. I had the system in our 2013 Legacy review car and it worked as advertised, but I had qualms about its size.
To improve sensitivity, the cameras are now color units to differentiate items like brake lights and the Subaru boasts a 40-percent improvement in detection range. The system also operates at a higher speed differential. Previously if the car in front of you was going 20 mph slower or faster, the EyeSight system would not function. That speed has been increased to 30 mph for the new model, vastly improving its usability.
Subaru hasn’t said what cars will be getting the new system, but I think its safe to say that the upcoming 2015 Legacy Subaru just teased will be the first model to use the new unit.
