Top 6 Kia Safety Features

With a suite of advanced driving assistance features, Kia Drive Wise is designed to give you extra peace of mind on the road. These features can help drivers safely manage a variety of situations, from highway driving to navigating a parking lot.

In this blog, we’re highlighting the most useful and ubiquitous Drive Wise safety features. Expect to find most of these on any Kia model you’re looking into. Kia vehicle models come in several different trim options, each with its own combination of Drive Wise features. You can check out which features come standard on each Kia model and different trim levels on our website at charlestonkia.com

It should be noted, that while these features are very helpful, they are not replacements for safe driving practices. Always drive with caution, and trust these features to back you up as best as possible.

1. Auto Emergency Braking – The Auto Braking system is one of the more ubiquitous safety features, and also one of the most life-saving. High-speed collisions are incredibly dangerous and also very avoidable thanks to this technology.
   How it Works – The vehicle uses a front-mounted camera or radar to detect an object in the vehicle’s path. Depending on the speed of your vehicle and the proximity of the object ahead, there may be an audio alert to warn you, or the brakes will be automatically applied. If the object is very close, this system may apply the brakes at the same time that the audible and visual alerts activate, to prevent or reduce the impact of collision.
2. Blind Spot Collision Avoidance – This system is great at supplementing what the driver can already see while operating a vehicle. All vehicles innately have a blind spot that the driver cannot see, some larger than others.
   How it Works – The system detects objects within the blind spot’s radius and gives the driver a visual or audible cue to warn them of an object outside their field of view. If the system determines that the driver is trying to change lanes while an object is detected, it will help maintain the previous course by helping the vehicle return to its lane.
3. Smart Cruise Control w/ Stop & Go – Cruise control is a very convenient feature for highway driving that has been around for a long time. However, modern safety features have helped cruise control to become less dangerous if a driver isn’t paying full attention.
   How it Works – This system helps maintain a predetermined following distance from a vehicle detected in front of your car. It will adjust your car’s driving speed as needed to keep a safe distance. And it can bring your car to a complete stop if needed. It can then start up again within 3 seconds of stopping.
4. Remote Parking Assist – Kia parking assistance features go beyond just aiding the driver behind the wheel or giving them a wider angle of view while parking or backing out. Kia’s remote parking assist is a unique safety feature that allows the driver to remain outside of the vehicle in order to get the safest view of the car’s surroundings and oncoming traffic.
   How it Works – This feature allows the driver to maneuver their vehicle out of tight parking spaces from outside the car. This can help the vehicle get in or out of a parking spot.
5. Surround View Monitor – This feature feels quite advanced when put to use. It is essentially the next evolution of the tried and true backup camera that has become standard in vehicles over the past 10 years. But with a surround-view monitor, drivers can get a better sense than ever of their vehicle’s surroundings.
   How it Works – Using exterior cameras, this 360-degree bird’s eye view of your surroundings will help the driver remain fully aware of how their car is positioned while maneuvering it.
6. Safe Exit Warning – The safe exit warning works in conjunction with all other parking safety features to protect vehicle passengers who are attempting to exit the vehicle.
   How it Works – This feature will provide an audible warning if rear passengers attempt to open a door while another vehicle is approaching. On certain models, the feature will automatically lock the rear doors to prevent an exit until it is safe to do so.

Certain Drive Wise safety features are enabled by default on Kia vehicles, while other features are only activated when needed. One example of this is the blind-spot view monitor, which only activates when the driver uses a turn signal above certain speeds. As always, do not solely rely on these features or any other included safety features of your vehicle. These are meant to assist you in safe driving, not to replace typical safe driving practices. Always use the utmost caution when operating or riding in a motor vehicle of any kind.