Outlander has 3 new safety items
| Sponsored by |
| » | ||
| » | ||
| » | ||
| » | ||
| » |
Reprints
Print
Respond
TOKYO -- Mitsubishi will introduce three active safety technologies on the redesigned Outlander crossover that arrives in the United States next year as the company seeks to burnish its safety image.
The technologies, bundled under the name "e-Assist," will make their global debut in the Japanese version of the Outlander due in October:
• Adaptive cruise control
• Forward collision mitigation
• Lane-departure warning.
Mitsubishi Motors Corp. is using the technologies for the first time as it plays catchup to rivals in safety features. President Osamu Masuko wants to make safety a pillar of Mitsubishi's brand identity along with electrified drivetrains.
The adaptive cruise control is a radar-based system that maintains a safe distance from the car in front.
The forward collision system applies the brakes automatically when it senses an imminent crash.
Finally, the lane-departure system uses camera-based technology to alert the driver when the car drifts from its lane.
Ryugo Nakao, Mitsubishi's global r&d chief, said the features will be rolled out first in mature markets such as North America, Japan and Europe. Mitsubishi wants to deploy them in other models after they debut in the Outlander, he added.
E-Assist will be standard on the four-wheel-drive Outlander in Japan. It will be an option on the two-wheel-drive model. Packaging for other markets has not been announced.
The Outlander is expected in the United States in mid-2013, with a plug-in hybrid version arriving in early 2014.
You can reach Hans Greimel at hgreimel@crain.com. -- Follow Hans on 
