When Michel Laforge bought his Subaru Impreza in 2023, he was sold on the vehicle’s crash-prevention technology.
But he’s come to doubt how safe it really is after his vehicle slammed the brakes for no apparent reason on five separate occasions.
“I wouldn’t get another vehicle that had this,” said Laforge, who lives in Sudbury, Ont.
The problem started a few months after he purchased the vehicle when he was driving back from Timmins, Ont., on Highway 144, an isolated two-lane road.
He was using adaptive cruise control, which allows the driver to set a certain speed.
A stereo camera system mounted behind the windshield monitors the road ahead and automatically adjusts the car’s speed to maintain a safe distance from other vehicles.
“I could see three kilometres in front of me,” said Laforge. “There wasn’t another vehicle in sight. It’s very remote.”
But the car braked suddenly, taking his speed from about 100 km/h to 60 km/h in a couple of seconds.
The braking stopped when Laforge tapped on the gas, but he couldn’t understand what triggered the system. It was a sunny day, there was no snow on the highway and the windshield was clean.
“Thank goodness there wasn’t a logging truck behind me,” said Laforge.
Initially, Laforge thought it was a fluke, but the braking episodes continued. Three others while adaptive cruise control was on — and one when it wasn’t.
The last time it happened, the vehicle would not stop braking.
“My only course of action was to steer and thank goodness I could because there was traffic behind us and I needed to get out of the way,” said Laforge.
Driver-assistance complaints
Laforge contacted CBC News after he saw a report last month on a Quebec man who blamed the lane-centring technology on his 2021 Subaru Crosstrek for causing him to swerve into another vehicle.
Lane-centring, adaptive cruise control and pre-collision braking are all controlled by the same technology, known in Subarus 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 on their vehicles and some had turned them off altogether.
Features like lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control and pre-collision braking are becoming increasingly 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 unsafe ways.
Since 2020, Transport Canada said it has received 70 complaints related to lane-centring technology in passenger vehicles. It has received 212 complaints concerning automatic emergency braking for the same time period. Eight of those complaints are about Subaru vehicles.
In the United States, a nationwide class-action lawsuit was filed in 2021 over problems with Subaru’s Eyesight Driver Assist system.
The lead plaintiffs, all current and former Subaru owners, allege the lane-assist function and automatic braking system are defective. The lawsuit is ongoing.
Transport Canada is in the process of creating regulations around these systems.
But the Automobile Protection Association (APA) says the government doesn’t have a clear picture of what is going on because automakers are currently not obligated to pass on customer complaints about potential safety defects to Transport Canada.
The APA would like to see this made mandatory on at least a quarterly basis.
“We are overdue to have those rules put in place and we would like to see them as soon as possible,” said George Iny, the APA’s director.
Learning curve on new tech
The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) agrees there should be more stringent regulations around this technology in line with the safety standards for headlights, steering wheels and air bags.
While there is data to show safety features such as automatic emergency braking and blind spot monitoring can reduce crashes, the way the technology reacts is not consistent across different brands, said Jesse Caron, an automotive expert with the CAA.
The other danger is drivers can become too reliant on these technologies or not know how to properly use them.
“It just goes to show you, these systems are not really a replacement for good driving habits and paying attention to the road,” said Caron.
If a driver has a car with this technology, they should take the time to look over the owner’s manual and figure out which button does what before they go anywhere, said Oren Preisler, a driving instructor and manager at Morty’s Driving School.
“You’ve got to take baby steps,” said Preisler. “Go around the block, go to the pharmacy, then come home. So when you actually go on longer trips, you have an idea of how all this stuff works.”
Some of the features — like lane-centring and adaptive cruise control — are intended for the highway and can be helpful on long trips.
But Preisler warns some people can get complacent.
Once adaptive cruise control is turned on, the vehicle’s speed is controlled by pushing a button.
“So people get fatigued because you’re not as busy in the car, especially at night,” said Preisler.
Unable to locate problem
When Tobias Marzell’s Subaru Crosstrek overcorrected, causing him to hit another vehicle in October, he thought the lane-centring feature had malfunctioned.
He complained to Transport Canada, and Subaru Canada sent an investigator to run some diagnostic tests. Marzell’s story was the subject of the initial CBC News reporting on this technology.
After analyzing the data, the investigator wasn’t able to find anything abnormal. Even so, Marzell feels more comfortable leaving the enhanced safety features turned off.
Laforge has also struggled to find an explanation for his vehicle’s abrupt braking issue.
In his case, the braking did not produce any error codes and the dealership’s garage was unable to replicate it until this past summer, when the shop foreman experienced rapid deceleration during a test drive.
Laforge said he was then provided a loaner vehicle for a few months while they tried to pinpoint the problem. Unfortunately, they were unable to fix it and suggested the transmission be replaced.
He refused and is waiting to trade his vehicle in for an older one that does not have the new technology.
“I would have sold the vehicle privately, but am worried that if someone buys it, they might have an accident instead of me,” said Laforge.
In the meantime, he continues to drive the Impreza.
Iny is concerned consumers who complain about an issue are often treated like hypochondriacs, especially if the problem can’t be duplicated.
If it results in an accident, 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 as you are panic-braking on an empty stretch of road, randomly, at least the incident would be recorded and you can actually narrate on some of the systems,” said Iny.
“That has often been enough to tip the balance in favour of the consumer.”
When asked about Laforge’s experience as well as other driver feedback, Subaru sent an emailed statement.
“A steadfast commitment to safety has given Subaru vehicles a reputation for superior protection in all conditions as well as longstanding, award-winning safety ratings,” said Julie Lychak, a spokesperson for Subaru Canada.
Drivers who experience issues related to crash-prevention technology can fill out an online complaint form or call Transport Canada.
Should a safety defect be suspected, Transport Canada can investigate and mandate corrective action by the manufacturer.