Subaru’s Forester e-BOXER won the award after featuring cameras and infrared sensors to monitor eye movements for distractions. In a headline feature, the car will be able to detect when you are falling asleep behind the wheel and promises to sound a warning alarm to wake up road users.
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Your car could soon be fitted with some of this new technology
The company claims the technology will also sound a warning alert if a motorist attempts to use their mobile phone or they lose full concentration while the car is in motion.
According to WhatCar? 72 percent of motorists admit to being distracted while being the wheel.
The development will be a major safety enhancement as part of Subaru’s vision to eliminate deaths in their vehicles by 2030.
Matthew Avery, director of research at Thatcham Research said: “It can identify individual drivers and pre-set comfort systems accordingly, creating a more seamless integration into the vehicle’s operating environment.
“The car essentially knows you as an individual and is ready for you when you get in.”
Judges said the system was the most advanced of its kind and was more accurate in identifying loss of concentration compared to others tested.
Cameras will determine pre-set boundaries and will raise a warning if this differs from your regular condition.
Recent Euro NCAP crash test data saw the Subaru Forester win the safest car of 2019 in the small off-road category.
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The vehicle scored highly in the safety assist tests with features like the driver monitoring system responsible for the model’s success.
Chris Graham, Managing Director at Subaru UK said: “We’re fast building a reputation for building some of the safest cars on the road today, with a range of class-leading safety technologies – such as the new Driver Monitoring System – fitted to our vehicles as standard.
“We’re thrilled that our commitment to building incredibly safe, capable and reliable cars is being recognised across the industry.”
Subaru says all their cars are fitted with innovate safety technology as standard with a vast array of breakthroughs available across their model ranges.
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Their eyesight assist technology is standard across the companies Forester, XV, Outback Levorg and Impreza ranges and claims to act as a second pair of eyes on the road.
The eyesight assist system uses cameras to scan the road ahead for hazards and can offer a series of warnings or instant responses to protect the motorist,
Features like the pre-collision braking system will automatically slow down or stop a car if you get too close to another vehicle.
Lane assist technology is also on offer and will help steer the car if you begin to accidentally deviate from the lane you are driving in.
Parking sensors, automatic reverse braking functionality and a rear camera to car your blind spots are also featured across Subaru’s vehicle range.
Runners-Up
BMW may have scooped a series of prizes at the 2020 WhatCar? Car of the Year Awards but secured the runner-up spot in the Technology category.
The German manufacturer has launched integrated cameras which record footage from various points around the vehicle and then save footage to a USB stick.
If the car is involved in an accident cameras will automatically save 20 seconds before and 20 seconds after the crash for video evidence.
The revolutionary technology will prove vital for car insurance claims and can prevent the risk of ‘crash for cash’ schemes where criminals purposely hit vehicles to claim compensation on policies.
Speaking on the technology, Matthew Avery said: “This trend-setting tech from BMW enables drivers to record events, helping them to refute bogus claims.”
Hyundai’s new centre airbag also claimed the runners-up spot in an upgrade Thatcham’s Research claims is a genuine step forward in passive safety.
The airbag is placed between the driver and passenger which helps reduce the risk of both each other’s heads in a car accident.
The airbag also helps cushion the driver inside his seat and means the body moves around less in the event of a collision.
Avery said: “Mounting the airbag in the centre console segregates occupants to offer both thorax and head protection in lateral impacts.”
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