Driving on the roads in the metro is more challenging these days, what with more vehicles on the road especially since just about all pandemic restrictions have been lifted. More cars, more public utility vehicles, more motorcycles and also more electric scooters/bikes on the road.
These days, you have to be more alert, not only making sure you keep a good distance form everyone else, but in many cases stay one step of the other drivers around you, anticipating their next move to prevent even the most minor of fender benders which are guaranteed to ruin everyone’s day.
Subaru have put a lot of effort into making their EyeSight equipped line up, safer for the occupants inside and other vehicles it shares the road with. The confidence inspiring Symmetrical All Wheel Drive now brings with it many more features to you keep you and your family safe. We had the chance to drive the 2023 Subaru Forester 2.0i-S, equipped with EyeSight 4.0, did I feel safer?
What is EyeSight 4.0?
EyeSight 4.0 is Subaru’s latest iteration of their Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), now available on the 2023 Forester and this makes the latest generation of Subaru vehicles equipped with it much safer for both occupants and motorists or pedestrians outside. EyeSight has considerable improvements from the previous generation and is geared toward real world driving situations.
The EyeSight “stereo” cameras face forward, still mounted on both sides of the rear view mirror, now have a wider field of view, almost twice as wide as the 3.0. The sleeker cameras which are now mounted closer to the windshield have improved image recognition and control software, is also better able to detect and react to obstacles ahead.
This wider camera field of view has more benefits, the Adaptive Cruise Control continues to function effectively on tighter turns as the camera can still see the vehicle ahead, even on a tighter curve. It can also detect vehicles changing lanes earlier on the periphery before they start to move into your lane. It can also see cyclists and pedestrians at intersections which can allow emergency braking to react earlier.
The EyeSight 4.o driver assist features are:
Adaptive Cruise Control – Aside from maintaining speed set by the driver, it maintains a driver defined distance from the vehicle ahead and also senses and adjusts vehicle speed according to the speed of the vehicle in front. It continues to function in stop-and-go traffic.
Pre-Collision Braking System – EyeSight monitors the vehicle’s position on the road and will sound an alert if you stray from the lane and if you’re getting dangerously close to a vehicle or obstacle ahead. If you do not react after the alert, it will apply emergency braking.
Lane Departure Prevention – this feature helps you keep in your lane, as long as the EyeSight cameras can see the road lines or lane markings, the vehicle will keep you in your lane and offer resistance to steering input if you change lane without using the turn signal indicators, this is because the vehicle assumes it is unintentional. Using turn signals will negate this and you’ll be able to change lane smoothly.
Pre-Collision Throttle Management – in the event that there’s an obstacle or vehicle in front of you and you inadvertently put the vehicle in drive instead of reverse, the system will alert you audibly and with an indicator, at the same time it will cut engine power to prevent impact and minimise frontal damage.
Lane Centering Control and Preceding Vehicle Adaptive Steering Control – the system sees the lane markings and the vehicle ahead while assisting with steering input and helps keep the vehicle on the road, this in turn helps reduce driver fatigue. All the driver has to do is keep hands on the steering wheel.
Automatic Emergency Steering – after a warning sounds, the system applies primary braking, then secondary braking, if eyesight determines avoidance maneuver is possible, it activates automatic emergency steering.to assist the drive swerve around the obstacle. This depends on the vehicles speed and position relative to obstacle ahead which may be a stopped vehicle, bicycle or pedestrian. The eyesight cameras detect lane markings and the space around the obstacle and if there are any approaching vehicles, rear radar determines if there is a vehicle following, then, if all safety conditions are met, and drivers hands are on the wheel, the vehicle will initiate the avoidance maneuver or accident avoidance. It will continue provide steering control after the maneuver to ensure the Subaru stays in its lane.
Impressions
Having driven the new EyeSight 4.0 equipped Forester 2.0i-S, over a week, not surprisingly, it performed as well as could be expected for a Subaru SUV. I took it out of town and immediately the EyeSight features worked well in the real world, adaptive cruise control is great on the expressways as Pinoys can’t seem to keep a constant speed, and constantly seem to drive slow on the “fast lane.” EyeSight 4.0 also didn’t lose sight of the vehicle in front of me on most curves, which was a good thing because what usually happens on adaptive cruise control with a narrow field of vision, you will accelerate when your vehicle loses sight of the slower vehicle it’s following around the curve.
Lane Departure Prevention was ever present, reminding me to use the turn signal when changing lanes. Pre-Collision Braking System was on it’s toes and it alerts and applies brakes whenever a motorcycle swerved across the front of the Forester or when a pedestrian would dart in front of the vehicle to cross the road.
I noticed it usually gives me the brake alert just before I step on the brakes, so it’s just a beat or so ahead of my own margin of safety. Not bad at all.
On roads with visible lines, Lane Centering Control and Preceding Vehicle Adaptive Steering Control was at work keeping me between the lines and was a helping hand taking care of the long curves on country roads, of course I had both hands on the wheel and was ready to take over just in case. this took some getting used to, but I learned to relax and let it take of things when it could.
Priced at Php2,168,000 the Forester 2.0i-S EyeSight isn’t the most expensive in its category on the market, but it is near the top end of the price range. It offers EyeSight 4.0, equivalent to what in other countries is already called “Autonomous Driving Level 2″ or according to synopsis.com, ” The vehicle can control both steering and accelerating/decelerating. Here the automation falls short of self-driving because a human sits in the driver’s seat and can take control of the car at any time. ” At that price, this Forester variant gives you peace of mind on the road and the Forester retains everything you know and already probably like about Subaru. Many brands already offer Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), but very few offer it at the level of EyeSight 4.0. Cliché, but, this is that “better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it” adage seems about right.
Although I didn’t get to put the other EyeSight features to the test (and that’s a good thing), rest assured Eyesight 4.0 was awake and waiting for something to happen. The features that made their presence felt were on point and didn’t feel too obtrusive. It made me feel like there was a co-pilot keeping an eye on things with me. Not that I needed it, but I realise how this can be a big help for new drivers or those who maybe slightly fatigued or who’s concentration maybe a little off, which can happen to all of us, and Eyesight helps make sure it doesn’t turn into a bad day. So yes, I did feel safer in the Forester on the road.
EyeSight 4.0? Close calls could become a thing of the past.
videos from http://www.subaru-global.com/
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