The EyeSight system is available on the top specced variant, the 2.0i-S ES, and features Pre-Collision Braking and Throttle Management, Lane Sway and Departure Warning, as well as Adaptive Cruise Control and Lead Vehicle Start Alert.
We were recently treated to a demonstration of a majority of the EyeSight features which is a dual camera based system, except for the Lane Sway and Departure Warning.
It was explained to us that the difference between the Lane Sway and Departure Warning was that the Departure Warning will sound off when the driver moves in and out of lanes without signalling while the Lane Sway alarm goes off if the system detects that the car is driven erratically.
The demonstration of the Pre-Collision Braking system showed that the car will first slow down and come to a complete stop with full brakes engaged if a crash is imminent. This system works from as low as 1kph all the way to 200kph.
The Throttle Management system will disengage the acceleration of the car if the driver has accidentally put the gear in drive mode instead of reverse. This situation is designed when the car is parked.
The Adaptive Cruise Control is a smart system which detects the speed of the car in front of you and adjusts the speed automatically without having to turn the cruise control system off.
So if you have set your speed to 110kph for cruise control and a car enters your lane in front of you at a slower speed, the Adaptive Cruise Control system will automatically change the speed of your car without having the need to brake.
Finally, you have the Lead Vehicle Start Alert which is designed when you are stuck in heavy traffic and haven't realized the car in front of you is already moving.
So if you're not paying attention to the car in front of you during a jam, the EyeSight system will indicate that the car in front has already started moving and can save you the trouble of being honked at by the cars behind.
We came away impressed with this advanced safety feature so watch this space for updates on the new Subaru Forester 2019 for pricing, specifications and variants.
