Enjoys dirt track as a hobby and is very particular about driving
“I hate management, so I’ve always wanted to work in a job where I can think of new things on the spot as much as possible. Recently, though, I’ve been forced to do a bit of management.”
However, his position is already that of president, at the head of STI’s management. What is it like to be president in his own way?
“I guess it’s about what I’ve always wanted to do, or what everyone else wants to do, and how to create that vessel to make it happen. I want to have people resonate and share what I want to do, and I also want to advance what they want to do. At that time, I think it is the job of the president to lay the foundations for that. I honestly find that part interesting at the moment.”
He personally enjoys motorsports with dirt track as a hobby. He has a strong knowledge of cars and a strong passion for driving. What is the first priority of a car, in other words, what is the most important thing you demand? When asked, “The response to the steering wheel”, the answer was quick and clear.
The priority of the car is “the response of the steering wheel”
“Responsiveness, in other words, is the ease of driving. I’ve learned this from my seniors at Subaru, so I’d like to push it further and further. Some aspects are difficult to achieve in mass-produced models, so we want to realize these aspects with STI. This leads to a car that can be driven fast and with peace of mind.”
Subaru steering shafts have a structure that bends twice at an almost right-angle angle to avoid the horizontally opposed engine, which is disadvantageous in terms of feel. That’s why Subaru engineers have continued to improve it, and the latest models use expensive double-pinion steering gears.
“In addition to those mechanical aspects, I think the body is also something to think about. Recently, EPS has been perfected, but there is a feeling that the car is trying to drive straight, but the human is bending it. The responsiveness is so high that it feels as if the car is turning because the driver is unconsciously operating the steering wheel based on past experience. How do we reconcile that?”
Good engineers are always greedy and their goals are always rising. That’s why we experience better and better things year after year.
