Subaru has developed a version of its EyeSight driver assist system for vehicles with manual transmissions.
To date manual transmission-equipped Subaru BRZ and WRX models have missed out on the stereo camera technology offered in automatic models, which provides active safety and driver assist features like autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and adaptive cruise control.
The first Subaru vehicle to be equipped with the EyeSight for manual transmissions system will be the Japanese-specification BRZ sports car. It’s set to debut there in the northern hemisphere autumn (September to December).
Subaru Australia has subsequently confirmed local BRZ manual models will receive the EyeSight system as part of a model year update at the end of 2023.
Subaru has the confirmed the newly developed EyeSight for manual vehicles is based on the system for automatic cars and offers autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, sway warning, lead vehicle start alert, and rear sonar warning.
The Japanese carmaker says the EyeSight system is now “combined with control tailored to driving and operating characteristics of MT vehicles”.
Subaru first introduced its EyeSight driver assist system in Japan in 2008, with Australia first receiving it on range-topping Liberty and Outback models in 2012.
It has since trickled down to every Subaru model available in Australia, apart from the manual-equipped BRZ and WRX variants.
-
WRX
The Japanese carmaker currently claims it has sold more than 5.5 million vehicles with the EyeSight system equipped.
Subaru is currently aiming to achieve zero fatal road accidents among occupants of Subaru vehicles and people involved in collisions with Subaru vehicles in 2030.
Over the years the safety system has gained more features and more recently gained a new stereo camera in other markets that features a third wide-angle greyscale camera for a better field of view.
-
Outback
Subaru also introduced its EyeSightX advanced driver assist system in Japan in 2020.
This EyeSightX system has a new stereo camera with four radars in the front and rear bumpers which allow for “extended functions” such as autonomous driving in congested traffic, lane change assist, and speed control before entering a curve in the road.
It’s unclear at this stage when any of these updated EyeSight systems will be introduced in Australia.
