Subaru Levorg MY17 and Eye Sight - two pairs of eyes are better than one
Recently, another presentation of the Subaru Levorg MY17 and the Eye Sight system on board took place in Dusseldorf. We went there to test its effect on our own skin.
Most of us already know the Levorg model. After all, he debuted on the market last year. Be that as it may, it is difficult not to notice the pugnacious station wagon with a sporty character. The Levorg was built on the Party platform and shares a front end with its WRX STI successor. Looking at the Levorg from the outside, one might suspect that there is a "boxing" monster hiding under the hood that only needs a driver to become a corner eater. However, only one of these statements is true. There really is a boxer engine under the hood, but it's not a monster either. It's a fairly docile 1.6 DIT (turbo direct injection). The unit produces 170 horsepower and 250 Nm of maximum torque. It lacks a lot of the STI model, but it's enough to ride it to see that it's not a meek sheep disguised as a wolf.
Despite the sporty design and beautifully drawn for the station wagon body line, it is still a family station wagon. While it may be incomprehensible to some, Levorg is just… sympathetic. This is the kind of car you can forget about the world behind the wheel, and it will take you to your destination safely and in a pleasant atmosphere. However, this is not a sexless shopping dump truck. Oh no! Levorg does not need to be invited to play for a long time. With a curb weight of 1537kg, it's pretty easy to get a 170bhp unit to show what it's capable of. However, the chassis deserves the most praise. The machine works like a string and does not get out of control at all. It constantly requires the attention of the driver, but it is by no means difficult to manage. The steering provides adequate resistance, making cornering a real pleasure. This is facilitated by a fairly stiff suspension for a family car and a low center of gravity. In addition, the Levorg is equipped with permanent all-wheel drive. No haldexes and hinged axles. The Subaru family station wagon is pushed all the time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with all four legs. Engineers assumed that even if the connected drive started within a few milliseconds, this abstractly small unit of time could affect the safety of the driver and passengers. So, in order not to tempt fate - four "shoes" and a sluss.
Speaking of security, it is worth mentioning the main character. And it's on board Subaru Levorg Aiming system. You might be thinking, “Hey! Now they all have cameras and rangefinders and stuff." Theoretically yes. However, we had the opportunity to see what the phenomenon of the Eye Sight system is. How? Very pathological. We sit down in Levorg, accelerate it to 50 kilometers per hour and go straight to an obstacle made of wood and polystyrene. I confess that in such a situation it is very difficult for the right foot to meet the brake pedal, and to keep it on the floor is not the easiest task in the world. And it's probably even harder not to close your eyes... Eye Sight slows down only at the last moment. Although it detects an obstacle much earlier, the first step is to sound the alarm and flash the red LEDs. The standby braking system remains calm and does not intervene uninvited. Some vehicles equipped with collision avoidance systems may brake at the most unexpected moment. As abstract as it may sound, this happens even during overtaking. As we approach the car ahead and move into the oncoming lane a moment later, the car says, “Hi! Where are you going ?! ” and from all the thread's precisely planned progress. The Eye Sight system has a much higher IQ in this regard because it doesn't overshoot.
If the driver does not react in any way and continues to approach the obstacle, the horn will sound again, the red LEDs will light up and the brake system will start to slow the car slightly (up to 0.4G). If then our action is scheduled (like the aforementioned overtaking), it is enough to press the gas pedal hard enough for Eye Sight to say: “OK, do what you want.” However, if you still leave the matter in the hands of Levorg (as in a rehearsal), then literally at the last moment a terrifying “Beeeeeeeeeee!!!” will be heard, a red disco will play on the dashboard, and Levorg will stand up. on the nose (0.8-1G) - stops right in front of the obstacle. During the tests, the car stopped even 30 centimeters from the wood and polystyrene structure. While we haven't tested ramming other fellow travelers along the way, Eye Sight doesn't interfere with normal driving. In fact, it's hard to find any indication that the system is working at all. Although it is and is constantly awake. However, it activates as late as possible, giving the driver time to react.
The Eye Sight system is based on a stereo camera that is placed under a mirror. An additional pair of eyes constantly monitors the road, detecting not only other vehicles (cars, motorcyclists, cyclists) and pedestrians, but also the brake lights of the car in front. As a result, if the vehicle in front of you brakes unexpectedly, Eye Sight reacts faster than if the distance was estimated using the rangefinder alone. Additionally, two radars are installed at the rear of the car to facilitate exit from the parking lot. When reversing, they inform the driver when a vehicle is approaching from the right or left.
The Eye Sight system aboard Subaru is a true driving assistant. It is still a machine that will not always be smarter than a human. In some cars, driver assistance systems treat the driver as insane, preventing overtaking or tearing into the sky for almost no reason. Eye Sight HELPS, but does nothing for us. It only takes control when a collision becomes imminent and the driver is clearly unaware of the danger.
