Here's Why the Outback Wilderness Doesn't Get Subaru's New Hands-Free Driving Tech

• Subaru introduced a new hands-free driver assistance system in the 2026 Outback.
• It's only available on the Outback Touring; the new Wilderness doesn't get this tech.
• Here's how this new system works, and why it's only available on one model.

Subaru simply calls its new tech Highway Hands-Free Assist. Similar to systems like General Motors' Super Cruise or Ford's BlueCruise, Subaru's tech uses premapped data to allow you to take your hands off the wheel on certain roads when cruising at highway speeds. Highway Hands-Free Assist uses the same mapping information that GM uses for Super Cruise, meaning it works on hundreds of thousands of miles of roads in the United States.

But here's the catch: Right now, Highway Hands-Free Assist is only available on the top-trim Outback Touring, though it can be paired with both of the SUV's available engines. The main reason comes down to pricing; adding the hardware and software necessary to enable such a system isn't cheap. As a result, it's limited to the Tourings because they sit at the tippy top of the Outback range.

The Outback Wilderness, which can actually end up being more expensive than the Touring — once you add niceties like ventilated seats, a big sunroof and a 360-degree view camera system — doesn't get this tech because that would only push the price further skyward. When a loaded Outback Wilderness costs north of $50,000, adding another few thousand dollars to the price tag makes it a hard sell.

For now, the Outback is the only Subaru with this hands-free system. Why? Memory. The new Outback has double the processing power of its predecessor and more than twice the onboard memory. The result is a car that is smarter than before, and the only Subaru (right now) that's able to handle the processing needed to implement a hands-free driving system.

To Subaru's credit, Hands-Free Highway Assist is offered as a one-time optional extra, while other companies offer their systems as monthly subscriptions. We much prefer the former; this approach only adds value to the Outback Touring.

Subaru has already started rolling out the software to Outback Touring customers. If you were one of the very first people to buy an Outback Touring in late 2025 and your car didn't have the system installed, it's available via a dealer-installed software update. We haven't had the chance to test this tech and compare it to rival systems just yet, but you can bet we'll do so soon.