Subaru Likely to Get Rid of Manual Transmission to Make Vehicles Safer

Subaru is likely to get rid of manual transmission in its vehicles as part of its bid to maintain its reputation for offering the safest vehicles in the industry.

Subaru has plans to offer EyeSight active safety technology on all its models in the future. EyeSight essentially comprises a series of cameras which can control systems like lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. This system is not compatible with a manual transmission and this is why Subaru is soon likely to switch to only automatic transmission for all its vehicles as it is keen to maintain its reputation for making safe vehicles.

Subaru’s UK director, Chris Graham, mentioned in an interview to AutoExpress that the company’s long term strategy is to offer Eyesight with Lineartronic (CVT) to get the accolade of the safest car in the world. Offering manual transmission in models without Eyesight will ruin this reputation, so it is going to be unlikely.
With the advent of active safety technologies, we are likely to see many more manufacturers deciding to discontinue models having manual transmission. Once it becomes a mandatory requirement, this will no longer be just an option for vehicle manufacturers.