• Subaru is adapting its EyeSight system to its manual-gearbox models.
If you're familiar with Subaru models, you know that the company's safety suite is called EyeSight. And you might also know that the feature is only available on vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission.
In other words, if you acquire a vehicle with a manual gearbox, you don’t get the benefits of the system's features. For those who place safety high on their list of priorities, this is a little frustrating. Conversely, for others who don't like the intrusive nature of Subaru's devices, there's more peace of mind with a vehicle equipped with a stick shift.
Subaru has confirmed it has been working to be able to marry its EyeSight system to its vehicles equipped with a third pedal. What’s more, it’s saying that development process has brought results. In Japan, starting this autumn, the system will be delivered with BRZ models with manual gearboxes.
Subaru promises that the system adapted to the manual transmission will retain all the functions of the version already found with automatic-transmission models. These include pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, warning when the vehicle in front of you is coming to a stop, and rear parking sensors. The automaker also asserts that there will be no reduction in collision-avoidance and collision-damage mitigation performance.
We don't yet have confirmation for the Canadian or even North American market, but it's clear that Subaru's aim is to extend its system to all its vehicles, everywhere on the planet.
At present, four Subaru models can be delivered with a manual gearbox: the Impreza, its sporty WRX variant, the BRZ coupe and the Crosstrek SUV.
