SUBARU Group’s Six Priority Areas for CSR TOPIC: Peace of Mind

Delivering utmost peace of mind and enjoyment by executing quality enhancement and improving safety performance levels
Creating a future with zero fatal traffic accidents with SUBARU’s unique technologies and quality

Further Evolution of Preventive and Passive Safety Performance

SUBARU is constantly evolving its preventive and passive safety performance in order to deliver utmost peace of mind. In the pursuit of preventive safety performance, we have further evolved SUBARU’s unique EyeSight driving support system, which prevents accidents before they happen. The next-generation EyeSight released in 2020 further evolves the conventional recognition and control using stereo cameras, providing more advanced driving assistance in all situations. These stereo cameras always monitor the situation ahead, and can measure distance in the same way as the human eye. They can also distinguish between cars, pedestrians, and road lines. The system boasts high recognition performance with its wide viewing angle and viewing distance as well as color recognition capable of recognizing brake lights. The software, which functions as the “brain” of the system, takes this information and the state of the vehicle’s operation to determine the necessary controls, enabling the execution of these in a manner that fits the situation like the “hands and feet” of each vehicle unit. This technology utilizes information such as the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System known as Michibiki, GPS, and 3D high-precision map data to strengthen driver assist system functionality. In 2022, we have added a new wide-angle monocular camera, and the information recognized by each camera will be processed in a coordinated manner to help avoid collisions with crossing bicycles and pedestrians. SUBARU’s unique EyeSight X advanced safety technology achieves a new dimension, bringing us one large step closer to the future of zero fatal traffic accidents.
Furthermore, SUBARU is promoting multifaceted efforts to develop technologies for passive safety performance in order to achieve the goal of zero fatal traffic accidents^*1 by 2030. The SUBARU Global Platform has brought about driving dynamics lending enjoyment to operating its vehicles. This has been achieved by top-class passive safety performance as well as driving quality achieving new levels of comfort and maneuverability and top-class vibration reduction thanks to stability, as well as low noise. The new high-rigidity Ring-Shaped Reinforcement Frame provides high collision absorption performance against impacts from any direction. Dual SRS airbags, in combination with seat belts, mitigate harm to those in the front seats. In addition, SUBARU vehicles feature SRS side airbags and SRS curtain airbags to guard against side impacts. SUBARU’s passive safety performance, which considers not only the driver and passengers but also pedestrians, has earned high evaluations around the world.
This preventive and passive safety performance unique to SUBARU has been highly acclaimed by external organizations. In the U.S.-based IIHS’s^*2 2022 publication of vehicle safety information, the 2022 SUBARU BRZ (with optional EyeSight) and Forester (both U.S.-specification models) received the TOP SAFETY PICK+ (TSP+) Award, the highest rating. The SUBARU BRZ, newly equipped with EyeSight as standard equipment on models with the 6-speed automatic transmission, earned this highest rating for the first time. The Forester also received the highest rating in all evaluation criteria. With the SUBARU BRZ and Forester winning this year’s awards, the total number of SUBARU models that have received the TSP+ award is now six.

Models Acquiring Top Safety Pick+ for 2022 (U.S.-specification Models)

• SUBARU BRZ (EyeSight-equipped vehicles): First TSP+ acquisition
• Forester: Acquired TSP rank or above for 16 consecutive years
• Crosstrek^*3 Hybrid: Acquired TSP+ rank for 4 consecutive years
• Legacy: Acquired TSP rank or above for 17 consecutive years
• Outback: Acquired TSP rank or above for 14 consecutive years
• Ascent: Acquired TSP rank or above for 5 consecutive years

Furthermore, in Japan, the Legacy Outback received the Five Star Vehicle Safety Performance 2021 Award from JNCAP^*4. This is the second consecutive year that we have received this award, following last year’s win by the Levorg.
SUBARU believes that the enjoyment of a car is supported by the peace of mind it offers, and that a safe and reliable car allows customers to experience the joy of driving, transportation, and life with a car itself. Going forward, we aim to achieve the goal of zero fatal traffic accidents^*1 by 2030 while pursuing the world’s highest standard of safety and peace of mind in all situations by integrating advanced sensing technologies, the judgment capability of AI, and connected safety.

*1

Reducing to zero the number of fatal accidents occurring while a driver or passenger in a SUBARU and the number of fatalities among pedestrians, cyclists, and the like arising from collisions with a SUBARU vehicle.

*2

IIHS: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

*3

Name in Japan: SUBARU XV

*4

Japan New Car Assessment Program (JNCAP): An automotive assessment program operated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the National Agency for Automotive Safety and Victims’ Aid (NASVA) to compare and evaluate automobile safety performance. The Legacy Outback received the highest score in the overall assessment for passive safety performance and preventive safety performance in 2021.

A Trifecta of Quality Enhancement Approaches

High quality is a key element at the root of the SUBARU brand, and is a source of added value. Therefore, we are pursuing efforts for quality enhancement as a priority in our mid-term management vision “STEP.” We are promoting quality enhancement in a trifecta of approaches, the first of which is thorough implementation of a “Quality-First” mindset and reinforcement of organizational efforts and structure. By redefining our goals through reviewing our Quality Policy and revamping our quality manual, and by implementing awareness activities Group-wide, we are encouraging our employees to alter their quality mindset. The second is “Execution Quality” enhancement, with the goal of preventing defects reaching the general public. In these reforms, in order to quickly resolve any defects that may have occurred in the market, we launched the quality improvement team, FAST,^*5 to strengthen our quality assurance system in the key market of North America. Furthermore, in Japan, we started operation of a new final vehicle inspection wing in FYE March 2023. In addition, we will work to improve our quality improvement response speed by establishing a QA lab to enhance our ability to investigate defects and by strengthening parts traceability. The third is “Innate Quality” enhancement, reforming the process from product planning and study to development and design. The objective is to ensure quality throughout the entire process, including in production and logistics. These activities are still at the halfway stage. However, we will pursue initiatives in this phase where we can show results from our quality enhancement initiatives, including adapting to new technologies, and we will work to achieve steady results so that we can present sufficient results to our customers and dealers. Looking ahead, by continuing to pursue quality that our customers can use with peace of mind for many years to come, we will work to realize the SUBARU Group’s goals of “delivering happiness to all” and a safe and happy car society.

*5

Fast Action & Solution Team