KIA Soul (2018 year). Manual — part 23

Driving your vehicle

46

6

• The Vehicle Stability Management

system is not a substitute for safe
driving practices but a supplemen-
tary function only. It is the respon-
sibility of the driver to always check
the speed and the distance to the
vehicle ahead. Always hold the
steering wheel firmly while driving.

• Your vehicle is designed to activate

according to the driver’s intention,
even with installed VSM. Always
follow all the normal precautions
for driving at safe speeds for the
conditions – including driving in
clement weather and on a slippery
road.

Hill-start assist control (HAC)

A vehicle has the tendency to roll
back on a steep hill when it starts to
go after stopping. The Hill-start
Assist Control (HAC) prevents the
vehicle from rolling back by applying
the brakes automatically for about 2
seconds. The brakes are released
when the accelerator pedal is
depressed or after about 2 seconds.
The HAC is activated only for about 2
seconds, so when the vehicle is
starting off always depress the accel-
erator pedal.

Good braking practices

• Check to be sure the parking brake

is not engaged and the parking
brake indicator light is out before
driving away.

• Driving through water may get the

brakes wet. They can also get wet
when the vehicle is washed. Wet
brakes can be dangerous! Your
vehicle will not stop as quickly if the
brakes are wet. Wet brakes may
cause the vehicle to pull to one
side.
To dry the brakes, apply the brakes
lightly until the braking action
returns to normal, taking care to
keep the vehicle under control at
all times. If the braking action does
not return to normal, stop as soon
as it is safe to do so and call an
authorized Kia dealer for assis-
tance.

WARNING

- Maintaining

Brake Pressure on Incline

HAC does not replace the need
to apply brakes while stopped on
an incline. While stopped, make
sure you maintain brake pres-
sure sufficient to prevent your
vehicle from rolling backward
and causing an accident. Don’t
release the brake pedal until you
are ready to accelerate forward.

6 47

Driving your vehicle

• Don't coast down hills with the

vehicle out of gear. This is extreme-
ly hazardous. Keep the vehicle in
gear at all times, use the brakes to
slow down, then shift to a lower
gear so that engine braking will
help you maintain a safe speed.

• Don't "ride" the brake pedal.

Resting your foot on the brake
pedal while driving can be danger-
ous because the brakes might
overheat and lose their effective-
ness. It also increases the wear of
the brake components.

• If a tire goes flat while you are driv-

ing, apply the brakes gently and
keep the vehicle pointed straight
ahead while you slow down. When
you are moving slowly enough for it
to be safe to do so, pull off the road
and stop in a safe place.

• If your vehicle is equipped with an

automatic transaxle, don't let your
vehicle creep forward. To avoid
creeping forward, keep your foot
firmly on the brake pedal when the
vehicle is stopped.

• Be cautious when parking on a hill.

Firmly engage the parking brake
and place the shift lever in P (auto-
matic transaxle) or in first or
reverse gear (manual transaxle). If
your vehicle is facing downhill, turn
the front wheels into the curb to
help keep the vehicle from rolling. If
your vehicle is facing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the
curb to help keep the vehicle from
rolling. If there is no curb or if it is
required by other conditions to
keep the vehicle from rolling, block
the wheels.

• Under some conditions your park-

ing brake can freeze in the
engaged position. This is most like-
ly to happen when there is an
accumulation of snow or ice
around or near the rear brakes or if
the brakes are wet. If there is a risk
that the parking brake may freeze,
apply it only temporarily while you
put the shift lever in P (automatic
transaxle) or in first or reverse gear
(manual transaxle) and block the
rear wheels so the vehicle cannot
roll. Then release the parking
brake.

• Do not hold the vehicle on the

upgrade with the accelerator
pedal. This can cause the transaxle
to overheat. Always use the brake
pedal or parking brake.

Driving your vehicle

48

6

The AEB system is to reduce or to
avoid accident risk. It recognizes the
distance from the vehicle ahead or
the pedestrian through the sensors
(i.e. radar and camera), and, if nec-
essary, warns the driver of accident
risk with the warning message or the
warning alarms.

System setting and activation

System setting

The driver can activate the AEB by
placing the engine start/stop button
to the ON position and by selecting
'User Settings', 'Driving Assist', and
'Autonomous Emergency Braking
System'. The AEB deactivates, when
the driver cancels the system setting.

AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING (AEB) (IF EQUIPPED)

WARNING

-

Autonomous Emergency
Braking (AEB) Limitations

The AEB system is a supple-
mental system and is not a sub-
stitute for safe driving prac-
tices. It is the responsibility of
the driver to always check the
speed and distance to the vehi-
cle ahead to ensure it is safety
to use the AEB system.

WARNING

Take the following precautions
when using the Autonomous
Emergency Braking (AEB):
• This system is only a supple-

mental system and it is not
intended to,

nor does it

replace the need for extreme
care and attention of the driv-
er. The sensing range and
objects detectable by the sen-
sors are limited. Pay attention
to the road conditions at all
times.

• NEVER drive too fast in accor-

dance with the road condi-
tions or while cornering.

• Always drive cautiously to

prevent unexpected and sud-
den situations from occur-
ring. AEB does not stop the
vehicle completely and does
not avoid collisions.

6 49

Driving your vehicle

The warning light illumi-
nates on the LCD display,
when you cancel the AEB
system. The driver can

monitor the AEB ON/OFF status on
the LCD display. Also, the warning
light illuminates when the ESC
(Electronic Stability Control) is tuned
off (Traction & Stability Control dis-
abled.) When the warning light
remains ON with the AEB activated,
have your vehicle inspected by an
authorized Kia dealer.

The driver can select the initial warn-
ing activation time in the User
Settings in the instrument cluster
LCD display. The options for the ini-
tial Forward Collision Warning
include the following:

•

EARLY

-

When this condition is
selected, the initial
Forward Collision Warning
is activated earlier than
normal. This setting maxi-
mizes the amount of dis-
tance between the vehicle
or pedestrian ahead before
the initial warning occurs.
The driver feels it is too
sensitive to activate than
expectation, change it to
Normal. If the vehicle in
front stops abruptly, the
driver can notice the warn-
ing alarm is late even
though the early option is
selected.

• NORMAL - When this condition is

selected, the initial
Forward Collision
Warning is activated nor-
mally. This setting allows
for a nominal amount of
distance between the
vehicle or pedestrian
ahead before the initial
warning occurs.

•

LATE

-

When this condition is

selected, the initial Forward
Collision Warning is activat-
ed later than normal. This
setting reduces the amount
of distance between the
vehicle or pedestrian ahead
before the initial warning
occurs. The driver can use it
when the traffic is not busy
on the road and driving
speed is lower.

Driving your vehicle

50

6

Prerequisite for activation

The AEB will activate activated when
the AEB is selected on the LCD dis-
play, and when the following prereq-
uisites are satisfied:
- The ESC (Electronic Stability

Control) is activated.

- The driving speed is over 6 mph

(10 km/h). (The AEB only works
within a certain range of vehicle
speeds)

- When the AEB recognizes a vehi-

cle or the pedestrian in front. (The
AEB may not recognize every
obstacle or provide warnings and
braking in every situation, so do
not rely on the AEB to stop the
vehicle in instances where the driv-
er sees an obstacle and has the
ability to apply the brakes)

• The AEB automatically activates

when you turn the vehicle on.
The driver can deactivate the AEB
by canceling the in the system set-
ting on the LCD display.

• The AEB automatically deactivates

when canceling the ESC. When the
ESC is canceled, the AEB cannot
be activated on the LCD display.

AEB warning message and
system control

The AEB produces warning mes-
sages, warning alarms, and emer-
gency braking based on the level of
risk of a frontal collision, such as
when a vehicle ahead suddenly
brakes, when there is no following dis-
tance from the vehicle in front, or
when it detects a collision with a
pedestrian is imminent.

WARNING

Set or cancel AEB with control-
ling switches on steering wheel
after stopping the vehicle in the
safe place for your safety. Do
not attempt to set or cancel the
AEB while your vehicle is mov-
ing.

6 51

Driving your vehicle

Forward Warning (1

st

warning)

The warning message appears on
the LCD display with the warning
alarms.

Collision Warning (2

nd

warning)

• The warning message appears on

the LCD display with the warning
alarms.

• The AEB applies the brakes within

certain limit to reduce the impact
from a collision.

Emergency braking (3

rd

warning)

• The warning message appears on

the LCD display with the warning
alarms.

• The AEB controls the brakes with-

in certain limit to release shock
from the collision.
The AEB controls the maximum
brakes just before the collision.

OPS056129L

OPS056130L

OPS056107L

Driving your vehicle

52

6

Brake operation

• In an urgent situation, the braking

system enters into the ready status
for prompt reaction against the dri-
ver’s depressing the brake pedal.

• The AEB provides additional brak-

ing power for optimum braking per-
formance, when the driver
depresses the brake pedal.

• The braking control is automatical-

ly deactivated, when the driver
sharply depresses the brake pedal,
or when the driver abruptly turns
the steering wheel.

• The braking control is automatical-

ly canceled, when risk factors dis-
appear.

The driver should always exercise
caution when operating the vehicle,
even though there is no warning
message or warning alarm.

✽

✽

NOTICE

The AEB operates in accordance
with the risk levels, such as the dis-
tance from the vehicle/passer-by in
front, the speed of the vehicle/pass-
er-by in front, and the driver's vehi-
cle operation.

WARNING

The AEB cannot avoid all colli-
sions. The AEB might not com-
pletely stop the vehicle before
collision, due to ambient weath-
er and road conditions. The
driver has the responsibility to
drive safely and control the
vehicle.

WARNING

The AEB braking control cannot
completely stop the vehicle nor
avoid all collisions. The driver
should hold the responsibility
to safely drive and control the
vehicle.

WARNING

The AEB system logic operates
within certain parameters, such
as the distance from the vehicle
or pedestrian ahead, the speed
of the vehicle ahead, and the
driver's vehicle speed. Certain
conditions such as inclement
weather and road conditions
may affect the operation of the
AEB system.

WARNING

Never deliberately drive danger-
ously to activate the system.

6 53

Driving your vehicle

Sensor to detect the distance
from the vehicle in front
(front radar)

The sensor is to maintain a certain
distance from the vehicle in front.
However, the smudged sensor lens
with foreign substances, such as
snow and rain, adversely affects the
sensing performance. It may even
temporarily cancel the AEB. Always
keep the sensor lens clean.

• Do not apply license plate molding

or foreign objects such as a
bumper sticker or a bumper guard
near the radar sensor. Doing so
may adversely affect the sensing
performance of the radar.

• Always keep the radar sensor and

cover clean and free of dirt and
debris.

• Use only a soft cloth to wash the

vehicle. Do not spray pressurized
water directly on the sensor or sen-
sor cover.

• Be careful not to apply unneces-

sary force on the radar sensor or
sensor cover. If the sensor is
forcibly moved out of proper align-
ment, the AEB system may not
operate correctly. In this case, a
warning message may not be dis-
played. Have the vehicle inspected
by an authorized Kia dealer.

• If the front bumper becomes dam-

aged in the area around the radar
sensor, the AEB system may not
operate properly. Have the vehicle
inspected by an authorized Kia
dealer.

• Use only genuine Kia parts to

repair or replace a damaged sen-
sor or sensor cover. Do not apply
paint to the sensor cover.

• NEVER install any accessories or

stickers on the front windshield,
nor tint the front windshield.

• NEVER locate any reflective

objects (i.e. white paper, mirror)
over the dashboard. Any light
reflection may cause a malfunction
of the system.

• Pay extreme caution to keep the

camera out of water.

• NEVER disassemble the camera

assembly, nor apply any impact on
the camera assembly.

• Playing the vehicle audio system at

high volume may offset the system
warning sounds.

OPS057133N

Driving your vehicle

54

6

Warning message and warning
light

When the sensor is covered or the
sensor lens is dirty with foreign sub-
stances, such as snow or rain, the
AEB operation may temporarily stop.
In this case, a warning message will
appear to notify the driver.

This is not a malfunction with the
AEB. To operate the AEB again,
remove the foreign substances.

✽

✽

NOTICE

• Do not install any accessories, such

as a license plate bracket or
bumper sticker near the sensor
area. Do not replace the bumper
by yourself. Doing so may adverse-
ly affect the sensing performance.

• Always keep the sensor/bumper

area clean.

• Use only a soft cloth to wash the

vehicle. Also, do not spray highly
pressurized water on the sensor
installed on the bumper.

• Be careful not to apply unneces-

sary force on the frontal sensor
area. When the sensor moves out
of the correct position due to
external force, the system may not
operate correctly even without the
warning light or message. In this
case, have your vehicle inspected
by an authorized Kia dealer.

• Use only the genuine Kia sensor

cover. Do not arbitrarily apply
paint on the sensor cover.

System malfunction

• When the AEB is not working prop-

erly, the AEB warning light (

) will

illuminate and the warning mes-
sage will appear for a few seconds.
After the message disappears, the
master warning light (

) will illu-

minate. In this case, have your vehi-
cle inspected by an authorized Kia
dealer.

• The AEB warning message may

appear along with the illumination
of the ESC warning light.

OPS056131L

OPS056132L

6 55

Driving your vehicle

WARNING

• The AEB is only a supplemen-

tal system for the driver's con-
venience.
The driver should hold the
responsibility to control the
vehicle operation. Do not sole-
ly depend on the AEB system.
Rather, maintain a safe braking
distance, and, if necessary,
depress the brake pedal to
reduce the driving speed.

• In certain instances and under

certain driving conditions, the
AEB system may activate pre-
maturely. This initial warning
message appears on the LCD
display with a warning chime.
Also, in certain instances the
front radar sensor or camera
recognition system may not
detect the vehicle or pedestri-
an ahead. The AEB system
may not activate and the warn-
ing message will not be dis-
played.

(Continued)

(Continued)
• If there is a malfunction with

the AEB system, the automat-
ic emergency braking is not
applied even though the brak-
ing system is operating nor-
mally.

• If the vehicle in front stops

suddenly, you may have less
control of the brake system.
Therefore, always keep a safe
distance between your vehicle
and the vehicle in front of you.

• The AEB system may activate

during braking and the vehi-
cle may stop suddenly shift-
ing loose objects toward the
passengers.

Always keep

loose objects secured.

• The AEB system may not acti-

vate if the driver applies the
brake pedal to avoid a colli-
sion.

(Continued)

(Continued)
• The brake control may be

insufficient, possibly causing
a collision, if a vehicle in front
abruptly stops. Always pay
extreme caution.

• Occupants may get injured, if

the vehicle abruptly stops by
the activated AEB system. Pay
extreme caution.

• The AEB system operates

only to detect vehicles or
pedestrians in front of the
vehicle.

• The AEB system does not

operate when the vehicle is in
reverse.

• The AEB system is not

designed to detect other
objects on the road such as
animals.

• The AEB system does not

detect vehicles in the oppo-
site lane.

• The AEB system does not

detect cross traffic vehicles
that are approaching.

(Continued)

Driving your vehicle

56

6

Limitations of the system

The Automatic Emergency Braking
(AEB) system is designed to monitor
the vehicle ahead or a pedestrian on
the roadway through radar signals\
and camera recognition to warn the
driver that a collision is imminent,
and if necessary, apply emergency
braking.
In certain situations, the radar sen-
sor or the camera may not be able to
detect the vehicle or pedestrian
ahead. In these cases, the AEB sys-
tem may not operate normally. The
driver must pay careful attention in
the following situations where the
AEB operation may be limited.

Recognizing vehicles

The sensor may be limited when:
• The radar sensor or camera is

blocked with a foreign object or
debris

• Inclement weather such as heavy

rain or snow obscures the field of
view of the radar sensor or camera

• There is interference by electro-

magnetic waves

• There is severe irregular reflection

from the radar sensor

• The radar/camera sensor recogni-

tion is limited

• The vehicle in front is too small to

be detected (for example a motor-
cycle or a bicycle, etc.)

• The camera cannot fit the full out-

line of a vehicle in front

• The vehicle in front is an oversize

vehicle or trailer that is too big to
be detected by the camera recog-
nition system (for example a tractor
trailer, etc.)

• The driver's field of view is not well

illuminated (either too dark or too
much reflection or too much back-
light that obscures the field of view)

(Continued)
• The AEB system cannot

detect the driver approaching
the side view of a parked vehi-
cle (for example on a dead
end street.)
In these cases, you must
maintain a safe braking dis-
tance,

and if necessary,

depress the brake pedal to
reduce the driving speed in
order to maintain a safe dis-
tance.

6 57

Driving your vehicle

• The vehicle in front does not have

their rear lights properly turned ON

• The outside brightness changes

suddenly, for example when enter-
ing or exiting a tunnel

• Light coming from a street light or

an oncoming vehicle is reflected on
a wet road surface such as a pud-
dle in the road

• The field of view in front is

obstructed by sun glare

• The windshield glass is fogged up;

a clear view of the road is obstruct-
ed

• The vehicle in front is driving errat-

ically

• The vehicle drives through a con-

struction area, on an unpaved
road, or above metal materials,
such as a railway

• The vehicle drives inside a build-

ing, such as a basement parking
lot

• The adverse road conditions cause

excessive vehicle vibrations while
driving

• The vehicle in front is moving verti-

cally to the driving direction

• The vehicle in front is stopped ver-

tically

• The vehicle in front is driving

towards your vehicle or reversing

• Sensor recognition changes rapid-

ly when driving over the bump

• When the vehicle vibrates heavily
• When the vehicle in front drives in

circles, such as on a roundabout

• Window tint on the front wind-

shield, film, water repellent coat-
ing, damaged glass, camera lens
contaminated with foreign objects
(e.g. a sticker, insect, etc.)

• When the radar or camera/camera

lens is damaged

• When the headlights are off or

weak at night or in a tunnel

• Light such as street light, sunlight

or oncoming vehicle light reflects
from water on the road

• Driving with the sun in front of you

(including headlights of a vehicle
coming from the opposite direc-
tion)

• Signs, shadow on the road, tunnel

entrance, toll gate, partially paved
roads

• The windshield is fogged by humid

air in the vehicle or frosted over

• In foggy weather
• The radar/camera sensor recogni-

tion is limited

Driving your vehicle

58

6

- Driving on a curve
The performance of the AEB system
may be limited when driving on a
curved road.
In certain instances on a curved
road, the AEB system may activate
prematurely.
The AEB (Autonomous Emergency
Braking) performance decreases
while driving on a curve not recog-
nizing the vehicle in front in the same
lane. It may unnecessarily produce
the warning alarm or brake, or it may
not produce the warning alarm or
brake at all.

Also, in certain instances the front
radar sensor or camera recognition
system may not detect the vehicle
traveling on a curved road.
In these cases, the driver must main-
tain a safe braking distance, and if
necessary, depress the brake pedal
to reduce your driving speed in order
to maintain a safe distance.

The AEB system may recognize a
vehicle in the next lane when driving
on a curved road.
In this case, the system may unnec-
essarily alarm the driver and apply
the brake.
Always pay attention to road and
driving conditions, while driving. If
necessary, depress the brake pedal
to reduce your driving speed in order
to maintain a safe distance.
Also, when necessary depress the
accelerator pedal to prevent the sys-
tem\ from unnecessarily decelerating
your vehicle.
Check the traffic conditions around
the vehicle before operating the AEB
(Autonomous Emergency Braking).

OQL055054

OQL055053

6 59

Driving your vehicle

- Driving on a slope
The AEB performance decreases
while driving upward or downward on
a slope, not recognizing the vehicle
in front in the same lane. It may
unnecessarily produce the warning
message and the warning alarm, or it
may not produce the warning mes-
sage and the warning alarm at all.
When the AEB suddenly recognizes
the vehicle in front while passing
over a slope, you may experience
sharp deceleration.
Always keep your eyes forward while
driving upward or downward on a
slope, and, if necessary, depress the
brake pedal.

- Changing lanes
When a vehicle changes lanes in
front of you, the AEB system may not
immediately detect the vehicle, espe-
cially if the vehicle changes lanes
abruptly. In this case, you must main-
tain a safe braking distance, and if
necessary, depress the brake pedal
to reduce your driving speed in order
to maintain a safe distance.

When driving in stop-and-go traffic,
and a stopped vehicle in front of you
merges out of the lane, the AEB sys-
tem may not immediately detect the
new vehicle that is now in front of
you. In this case, you must maintain
a safe braking distance, and if nec-
essary, depress the brake pedal to
reduce your driving speed in order to
maintain a safe distance.

OQL055057

OPS056127N

OQL055056

Driving your vehicle

60

6

- Recognizing the vehicle
If the vehicle in front of you has cargo
that extends rearward from the cab,
or when the vehicle in front of you
has higher ground clearance, addi-
tional special attention is required.
The AEB system may not be able to
recognize the cargo extending from
the vehicle. In these instances, you
must maintain a safe braking dis-
tance from the rearmost object, and
if necessary, depress the brake
pedal to reduce your driving speed in
order to maintain distance.

Recognizing pedestrians

The sensor may be limited when:
• The pedestrian is not fully detected

by the camera recognition system,
for example, if the pedestrian is
leaning over or is not fully walking
upright

• The pedestrian is moving very

quickly or appears abruptly in the
camera detection area

• The pedestrian is wearing clothing

that easily blends into the back-
ground, making it difficult to be
detected by the camera recogni-
tion system

• The outside lighting is too bright

(e.g. when driving in bright sunlight
or in sun glare) or too dark (e.g.
when driving on a dark rural road
at night)

• There is an item similar to a per-

son's body structure

• The pedestrian is small
• The pedestrian has impaired

mobility

• The sensor recognition is limited

• It is difficult to detect and distin-

guish the pedestrian from other
objects in the surroundings, for
example, when there is a group of
pedestrians or a large crowd

• Sensor recognition changes rapid-

ly when driving over the bump

• When the vehicle vibrates heavily
• When the vehicle in front drives in

circles, such as on a roundabout

• Window tint on the front wind-

shield, film, water repellent coat-
ing, damaged glass, camera lens
contaminated with foreign objects
(e.g. a sticker, insect, etc.)

• When the radar or camera/camera

lens is damaged

• When the headlights are off or

weak at night or in a tunnel

• Light such as street light, sunlight

or oncoming vehicle light reflects
from water on the road

• Driving with the sun in front of you

(including headlights of a vehicle
coming from the opposite direc-
tion)

OPS056128N

6 61

Driving your vehicle

• Signs, shadow on the road, tunnel

entrance, toll gate, partially paved
roads

• The windshield is fogged by humid

air in the vehicle or frosted over

• In foggy weather
• The radar/camera sensor recogni-

tion is limited

✽

✽

NOTICE

In some instances, the AEB system
may be cancelled when subjected to
electromagnetic interference.

(Continued)
• Never try to test the operation

of the AEB system. Doing so
may cause severe injury or
death.

• Please have the system

inspected by a professional
workshop when replacing or
reinstalling the front wind-
shield,

front bumper or

radar/camera.

Kia recom-

mends to visit an authorized
Kia dealer/service partner.

WARNING

• Do not use the Autonomous

Emergency Braking system
when towing a vehicle.
Application of the AEB sys-
tem while towing may
adversely affect the safety of
your vehicle or the towing
vehicle.

• Use extreme caution when the

vehicle in front of you has
cargo that extends rearward
from the cab, or when the
vehicle in front of you has
higher ground clearance.

• The AEB system is designed

to detect and monitor the
vehicle ahead or detect a
pedestrian in the roadway
through radar signals and
camera recognition. It is not
designed to detect bicycles,
motorcycles,

or smaller

wheeled objects such as lug-
gage bags, shopping carts, or
strollers.

(Continued)