When Michel Laforge bought his Subaru Impreza in 2023, he was convinced by the vehicle’s accident prevention technology.
But he came to doubt the safety of his vehicle after his vehicle braked suddenly for no apparent reason five times.
“I wouldn’t buy another vehicle with this,” said Laforge, who lives in Sudbury, Ont.
The problem began a few months after purchasing the vehicle while returning from Timmins, Ontario on Highway 144, an isolated two-lane road.
It used adaptive cruise control, which allows the driver to set a certain speed.
A stereo camera system mounted behind the windshield monitors the road and automatically adjusts the car’s speed to maintain a safe distance from other vehicles.
“I could see three kilometers in front of me,” Laforge said. “There were no other vehicles in sight. It’s very remote.”
But the car braked suddenly, dropping its speed from about 100 km/h to 60 km/h in a matter of seconds.
The braking stopped when Laforge stepped on the accelerator, but he couldn’t figure out what was triggering the system. It was a sunny day, there was no snow on the highway and the windshield was clean.
“Thank God there was no logging truck behind me,” Laforge said.
Initially, Laforge thought it was a coincidence, but the braking episodes continued. Three more when adaptive cruise control was on – and one when it wasn’t.
The last time this happened, the vehicle wouldn’t stop braking.
“My only course of action was to steer and thank God I could because there was traffic behind us and I had to get out of the way,” Laforge said.
Driver assistance complaints
Laforge contacted CBC News after seeing a report last month about a Quebecer who blamed him lane centering technology on his 2021 Subaru Crosstrek for causing it to swerve into another vehicle.
Lane centering, adaptive cruise control and pre-collision braking are all controlled by the same technology, known at Subaru as the Eyesight Driver Assist system.
Following the story, CBC News received emails from more than two dozen drivers of different makes and models. Most were uncomfortable with the driver assistance technologies installed on their vehicles and some had them completely disabled.
Features like lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and pre-collision braking are becoming more common in cars. Manufacturers say they promote safety and convenience, but some experts say too many drivers don’t understand them well enough or use the features in dangerous ways.
Since 2020, Transport Canada said it has received 70 complaints related to lane centering technology in passenger vehicles. It received 212 complaints regarding automatic emergency braking for the same period. Eight of these complaints concern Subaru vehicles.
In the United States, a nationwide class action lawsuit was filed in 2021 regarding issues with Subaru’s Eyesight Driver Assist system.
The lead plaintiffs, all current and former Subaru owners, allege that the lane assist feature and automatic braking system are defective. The trial is ongoing.
Transport Canada is in the process of creating regulations regarding these systems.
But the Automobile Protection Association (APA) says the government doesn’t have a clear idea of what’s going on because automakers are currently not required to forward customer complaints about possible security defects.
The APA would like this to be made mandatory on at least a quarterly basis.
“It’s high time these rules were put in place and we would like to see them as soon as possible,” said George Iny, director of the APA.
Learning curve on new technologies
The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) agrees that there should be stricter regulations around this technology, in line with safety standards for headlights, steering wheels and airbags.
While there is data showing that safety features like automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring can reduce crashes, the way the technology responds is not consistent from brand to brand. other, said Jesse Caron, a CAA auto expert.
The other danger is that drivers may become too dependent on these technologies or may not know how to use them properly.
“It shows you that these systems aren’t really a substitute for good driving habits and paying close attention to the road,” Caron said.
If a driver owns a car with this technology, he or she should take the time to look at the owner’s manual and figure out which button does what before setting off, said Oren Preisler, a driving school instructor and school director. driving Morty’s.
“You have to take baby steps,” Preisler said. “Walk around the block, go to the pharmacy, then come home. So when you’re taking long trips, you have an idea of how it all works.”
Some features, like lane centering and adaptive cruise control, are intended for the highway and can be useful on long trips.
But Preisler warns that some people can become complacent.
Once adaptive cruise control is activated, vehicle speed is controlled with the press of a button.
“People get tired because you’re not as busy in the car, especially at night,” Preisler said.
Unable to locate problem
When Tobias Marzell’s Subaru Crosstrek overcorrected, causing it to hit another vehicle in October, he thought the lane-centering feature had malfunctioned.
He complained to Transport Canada and Subaru Canada sent an investigator to perform diagnostic tests. Marzell’s story was the subject of the first CBC News reports on this technology.
After analyzing the data, the investigator found nothing unusual. Still, Marzell feels more comfortable leaving the enhanced safety features disabled.
Laforge also struggled to find an explanation for his vehicle’s sudden braking problem.
In his case, braking produced no error codes and the dealership’s garage was unable to reproduce it until last summer, when the shop foreman experienced rapid deceleration during a road test.
Laforge said he was then loaned a vehicle for a few months while he tried to identify the problem. Unfortunately, they couldn’t fix it and suggested replacing the transmission.
He refused and is waiting to trade in his vehicle for an older vehicle that does not have the new technology.
“I would have sold the vehicle to an individual, but I fear that if someone buys it, they risk having an accident in my place,” said Laforge.
In the meantime, he continues to drive the Impreza.
Iny is concerned that consumers who complain about a problem are often treated as hypochondriacs, especially if the problem cannot be reproduced.
If an accident results, the driver is at fault and it can be an uphill battle with the insurance company to prove that the car malfunctioned.
He recommends drivers install a dashcam so they have evidence of any future episodes.
“So when you panic brake on an empty stretch of road, randomly, at least the incident will be recorded and you can actually narrate it on some systems,” Iny said.
“This has often been enough to tip the scales in favor of the consumer.”
Asked about Laforge’s experience as well as feedback from other drivers, Subaru sent an emailed statement.
“An unwavering commitment to safety has given Subaru vehicles a reputation for superior protection in all conditions as well as long-standing, award-winning safety ratings,” said Julie Lychak, spokesperson for Subaru Canada.
Drivers who experience issues with crash prevention technology can fill out a online complaint form or call Transport Canada.
If a safety defect is suspected, Transport Canada may investigate and require corrective action to be taken by the manufacturer.