2023 Subaru Outback Features Biometric Driver Monitoring, what3words Navigation

Subaru has unveiled the latest iteration of its Outback SUV. The 2023 edition of the car made its debut at the New York International Auto Show, and comes with a slew of modern safety and infotainment features designed to improve the in-car experience.

Most notably, the Outback will once again feature Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, as well as its DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation System. EyeSight Driver Assist uses two cameras to monitor the exterior of the vehicle. The system can warn the driver about the presence of an object in a blind spot, and comes with Lane Change Assist, Lane Centering, and Emergency Steering features to help drivers maintain a consistent position while on the road. If the car is moving at less than 50 mph, the Pre-Collision Braking System can also hit the brakes to prevent a crash if a biker or pedestrian crosses the road unexpectedly.

The DriverFocus system, on the other hand, turns its attention toward the driver. The system uses an infrared camera with facial recognition capabilities to watch for signs of drowsiness or distracted driving, and will send both audio and visual alerts to everyone in the vehicle. DriverFocus ensures that the person behind the wheel is keeping their eyes on the road.

The premium Outback Touring model comes with an additional Wide-Angle Mono Camera that further expands the field of view for the EyeSight Driver Assist system. In the meantime, every model comes with an 11.6-inch in-car touchscreen display that serves as the hub for the infotainment system. The device is compatible with an optional Front View Monitor that lets drivers see blind spots in front of the vehicle, and can be used to stream audio or take phone calls thanks to its Bluetooth capabilities.

In terms of navigation, the new Outback comes with TomTom and SiriusXM Travel Link technologies that let drivers set a destination with a voice command. The car also marks the Subaru debut of what3words, an innovative navigation system that assigns a unique three-word address to virtually every location on the planet.

DriverFocus made its debut in the 2019 Subaru Forrester, and was cited as a key factor when Parents magazine named it as one of the 10 Best Family Cars of the year. what3words, meanwhile, has already been integrated into Cerence’s in-car voice assistant platform.

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April 14, 2022 – by Eric Weiss