On November 17th, the 21st Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition officially opened. The development of smart cars and new energy vehicles is not only a revolution in transportation, but also a change in lifestyle and mindset. With the continuous escalation of competition in new energy vehicles, more new products and technologies will appear before the public. This year’s Guangzhou Auto Show will be themed “New Technology, New Life”, showcasing the latest technological achievements brought about by the development of smart cars, as well as the new changes it brings to consumers. In response to this, many executives have expressed their views. Masao Arai, Deputy Director of Subaru Technology International Co., Ltd., stated that in the era of electric vehicles, the pursuit of ultimate control and the goal of providing users with the joy of extreme control remain unchanged for the STI brand. STI aims to provide drivers with a more enjoyable and liberating driving experience, which is the value that STI wants to provide to Chinese customers.
Here is the interview record: Sina Auto: What was the original purpose of the establishment of the STI brand, and what proud technologies does it have? Mie Tsuyoshi: The original purpose of the establishment was very simple. We wanted to convey Subaru’s brand advantages and impressive strengths to users through car racing. The most proud technology is STI’s continuous pursuit of driving control, providing users with “unrestricted driving pleasure.” Sina Auto: What specific technical points are there? Mie Tsuyoshi: STI SPORT is equipped with STI-tuned dampers for the Forester, which can adjust damping force. Based on the experience and technology accumulated in racing, it focuses on damping force adjustment. When the steering wheel starts to turn, it can obtain more tire grip from the inner side of the front wheels, reducing response delay in steering operations and achieving good handling performance, allowing the driver to control the vehicle at will. SFRD@ front shock absorbers can automatically adjust damping force according to vibration frequency. During normal driving, damping force can be reduced according to high-frequency road vibrations; during cornering, damping force can be increased according to the low-frequency motion of the body, reducing body roll and providing handling performance and a comfortable, high-quality driving experience without feeling the high center of gravity of an SUV. Sina Auto: What makes STI’s performance package special compared to other brands? Mie Tsuyoshi: STI SPORT PLUS is equipped with adaptive performance components, specifically front strut bars and front and rear damping rods. STI does not simply strengthen the body rigidity unnecessarily, like aftermarket cars, to improve handling. Instead, by combining adaptive components with STI-tuned SFRD dampers, the vehicle’s motion is smoother, reducing unnecessary steering operations for the driver. This is also based on the experience and knowledge of racing activities, allowing everyone to easily control the vehicle and feel an improvement in driving skills during long drives. Sina Auto: In the era of electric cars, what is STI’s pursuit of driving pleasure? Takatsu Masao: In the EV era, STI’s pursuit of ultimate handling and the goal of providing users with extreme handling fun remain unchanged. In order to achieve this value, our means are still the two points just mentioned, our own exclusive tuning and optimizing the vehicle characteristics. Sina Auto: What is the development process of STI like? Takatsu Masao: The development process is definitely not a one-time thing, but a long and repetitive one. Sometimes we first hone our skills in car races and then apply them to mass-produced cars. Sometimes we also experiment with mass-produced cars first and then put them into races. Regardless of which method, we adhere to the principle that driving is like controlling a part of the human body, and the vehicle can respond to the driver’s intentions faster and more accurately. Sina Auto: Please introduce the FORESTER STI Sport, which STI technologies are used in this car? Takatsu Masao: Its suspension is professionally tuned by STI, with a larger steering angle on the inner wheel when turning, allowing the vehicle to turn more quickly. This tuning is particularly suitable for SUV models with a high center of gravity, and to some extent reduces the disadvantages of SUVs. In addition, the front suspension of this car is from the SFRD brand, which can automatically adjust the damping according to the road vibration frequency, allowing the vehicle to better cope with various road conditions and improve cornering response and driving stability. Sina Auto: As the head of STI, what message would you like to convey to Chinese consumers? Takatsu Masao: First of all, Subaru cars already have excellent basic performance. STI wants to bring more fun and freedom to the driving experience on this basis, which is the value that STI wants to provide to Chinese customers.