The Subaru EyeSight System

Labeled a "driver assistance system" by Subaru, the EyeSight feature is a bundled collection of safety technologies engineered to help prevent or lessen the severity of collisions with other vehicles or pedestrians.

Unlike radar-based systems employed by the likes of Audi and Mercedes-Benz, Subaru's EyeSight technology uses a pair of wide-angle cameras mounted on the upper, inside edge of the windshield. Typically, such components have been placed in the grille or bumper, which Subaru suggests makes them much more susceptible to damage.

Images captured by the EyeSight cameras are analyzed by the system's computer, after which a host of safety elements come into play:

• At speeds below 19 mph, pre-collision braking can recognize objects - or pedestrians - in the car's lane of travel and then slow or completely stop the vehicle.

• When cruising at speeds above 19 mph, a collision mitigation feature also detects obstructions, and attempts to avoid or soften any blows by applying or increasing brake pressure.

• Adaptive cruise control adjusts throttle and brake input to maintain the driver's desired speed and distance from any vehicles traveling up ahead.

• A lane-departure warning system alerts drivers when they drift into another lane without using a turn signal.

Official pricing hasn’t been announced, but Subaru claims its EyeSight system “will be one of the most affordable of such technologies available in the United States market.” To live up to that claim, EyeSight will need to be less expensive than the Mercedes-Benz E-Class’s Driver Assistance Package ($2,950) and the Volvo S60’s Technology Package ($2,100), among others.

The EyeSight system will initially be offered as an option on the 2013 Subaru Legacy and the 2013 Subaru Outback, and will be available on other models at a later date.