Subaru Crosstrek driver blames car's lane-centring technology for accident

Tobias Marzell has serious doubts about using the lane-centering feature on his 2021 Subaru Crosstrek after he believes it led to an accident during his commute last month.

While driving on Highway 30 near Brossard, Quebec, Marzell noticed the steering pulling slightly to the left. As he approached a curve, he tried to adjust, but then the car suddenly jerked sharply to the right, causing a collision with the vehicle beside him. Marzell, who was traveling at around 100 km/h, said, "The steering decided to jerk to the right heavily, and instantly I collided with the vehicle on my right side."

To ease the strain of his daily two-hour commute, Marzell, 23, often used the lane-centering feature. "It lets drivers relax a bit," he explained. When he bought the car from a Subaru dealership in 2022, he found the lane-assist feature worked subtly, stopping immediately when he adjusted the wheel. Recently, however, he noticed it tugging more aggressively, though not as severely as on the day of the accident.

Thankfully, there were no injuries, but Marzell now faces approximately $10,000 in repairs for both his car and the other vehicle involved. Transport Canada and Subaru Canada are investigating whether the incident is linked to the vehicle's advanced driver assistance system. "Even the police officer mentioned this is something happening more often with these newer vehicles," Marzell said. "It's honestly kind of scary."

Lane-centering features like Subaru’s Lane Keep Assist, which uses cameras and sensors to help keep vehicles aligned within lanes, are increasingly common in modern cars. According to Jesse Caron, an automotive expert with the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), these systems are designed to assist on highways and help drivers manage minor curves. However, Caron noted that they aren’t ideal for urban environments, especially where construction and road conditions vary.

Transport Canada has received six complaints since 2020 about issues with lane-assist and steering assist features in various vehicles, including sudden steering corrections, error messages, and performance problems in icy conditions. Though the CAA has not logged any crash reports related to these features, Caron suspects Marzell's car may have misinterpreted what it sensed on the road.

Caron also explained that lane-centering technology often requires a firm counter from the driver if the system misreads road markings or veers when passing close to large trucks. This, he said, is why drivers still need to maintain vigilance. "Paying attention and having a keen eye is still very important, especially on long drives," Caron advised.

Following the collision, Marzell shared his experience in an online Subaru group, where nearly 300 others responded. One person described a similar accident, while others shared they had disabled the feature because it felt too aggressive. Subaru Canada advised Marzell to contact his insurer and noted that if a defect is suspected, the insurer would notify them for a joint investigation.

Marzell also filed a report with Transport Canada, which sent an investigator to examine the vehicle's "black box" but was unable to retrieve data due to the collision's low impact. Subaru Canada has since dispatched its own investigator to run diagnostics on Marzell's vehicle.

Reflecting on possible causes, Marzell wonders if the EyeSight Driver Assist System wasn’t recalibrated properly after he replaced the windshield, which typically requires re-calibration for accuracy. "I think my premiums are going to skyrocket next year," he said, frustrated by the outcome. "It's nothing I could control."

Experts recommend that drivers familiarize themselves with lane-assist features before relying on them. George Iny, executive director of the Automobile Protection Association, said some dealerships are proactive, offering follow-up sessions for new owners to learn more about their vehicle’s technology. Iny added that while lane-assist technology is widespread, proof of its effectiveness is still limited, unlike features like automatic emergency braking, which have demonstrated safety benefits.

In the U.S., organizations like AAA are urging regulators to standardize safety features and terminology, a move Canada would likely adopt if implemented.

Both Caron and Iny believe proving Marzell’s case may be challenging. "When there's an electronic component, it's often difficult to duplicate and if it’s not recorded, you have to wait for others to report similar problems," Iny explained, encouraging drivers to report any significant issues to Transport Canada.

In response to Marzell's incident, Transport Canada has acknowledged the report involving a Subaru Crosstrek and is closely monitoring developments. Subaru Canada has also expressed its commitment to owner safety and is actively investigating.

Marzell, however, has lost trust in the feature and plans to avoid using it in the future. "I just don't trust it anymore," he said. "I always want to be 100 percent in control of the car from now on."