Kia Sportage: Limitations of Smart Cruise Control

Smart Cruise Control (SCC) may not operate as intended in certain conditions. Detection and vehicle control can be affected by the sensors, the Kia Sportage’s surroundings, the road surface and the behaviour of other road users. Take particular care in the following situations:

• A detecting sensor or the area around it is dirty or damaged.

• Washer fluid is being sprayed continuously or the windscreen wipers are operating.

• The front view camera’s view is affected by a tinted, filmed or coated windscreen, damaged glass, or sticky material on the glass, such as a sticker or insect.

• Moisture remains on the windscreen or has frozen there.

• Sun glare obstructs the front view camera’s field of view.

• Streetlights or headlights from oncoming traffic reflect off a wet road or a puddle.

• The temperature around the front view camera is very high or very low.

• An object is placed on the instrument panel.

• The surrounding area is exceptionally bright.

• The surrounding area is very dark, such as inside a tunnel.

• Brightness changes suddenly, for example when entering or leaving a tunnel.

• It is dark outside and the headlights are off or do not provide sufficient brightness.

• You are driving in heavy rain, snow or dense fog.

• Steam, smoke or shadows interfere with detection.

• Only part of another vehicle is detected.

• The vehicle ahead has no tail lights, or its tail lights are positioned unusually.

• It is dark outside and the tail lights of the vehicle ahead are off or difficult to see.

• The rear of the vehicle ahead is small or appears abnormal, for example because the vehicle is tilted or overturned.

• The vehicle ahead has unusually low or high ground clearance.

• Another vehicle cuts in front of you suddenly.

• Your vehicle is being towed.

• An object that reflects radar, such as a guardrail or nearby vehicle, affects the front radar.

• The bumper around the front radar is damaged or has been struck, or the radar is out of position.

• The temperature around the front radar is very high or very low.

• The vehicle ahead is made of material that does not reflect the front radar signal.

• You are driving near a motorway interchange or tollgate.

• The road is slippery because of snow, standing water, ice or similar conditions.

• You are driving on a curved road.

• The system detects the vehicle ahead late.

• An obstacle suddenly blocks the vehicle ahead.

• The vehicle ahead changes lanes or slows down suddenly.

• The vehicle ahead is deformed.

• The vehicle ahead is travelling at a very high or very low speed.

• Your vehicle changes lanes suddenly at low speed while another vehicle is ahead.

• The vehicle ahead is covered with snow.

• Your vehicle is being driven unstably.

• You are travelling around a roundabout and the vehicle ahead is not detected.

• You are driving continuously in a circle.

• Poor road conditions cause excessive vibration while driving.

• The vehicle’s height is unusually low or high because of a heavy load, abnormal tyre pressure or a similar condition.

• You are driving in any of the following places:

  • A car park.

  • A construction area, on an unpaved or partly paved road, on an uneven surface, over speed bumps or in similar conditions.

  • On an inclined or curved road.

  • Along a roadside with trees or streetlights.

  • On a narrow road bordered by overgrown trees or grass.

  • In an area with electromagnetic interference, such as strong radio waves or electrical noise.

• You are driving through a tunnel or across an iron bridge.

• You are near an area containing metallic materials, such as a construction site or railway.

• You are driving through a large open area with few vehicles or structures, such as a desert, meadow or suburb. In these areas, detection may also be affected by:

  • Steam, smoke or shadows.

  • A nearby motorway interchange or tollgate.

  • Metallic materials, such as those near a construction site or railway.

• Driving on a curved road

  On a curve, SCC may not detect a vehicle in the same lane and may accelerate towards the set speed. If the vehicle ahead is detected suddenly, your vehicle may also slow down quickly.

  Choose a suitable set speed for the bend and use the brake or accelerator as needed for the road and traffic conditions ahead.

  A vehicle in an adjacent lane may cause your vehicle to slow down.

  Check that conditions allow SCC to operate safely. If necessary, press the brake pedal to reduce speed and maintain a safe distance.

• Driving on an inclined road

  While travelling uphill or downhill, SCC may not detect a moving vehicle in your lane and may accelerate towards the set speed. If the vehicle ahead is detected suddenly, your vehicle may slow down quickly.

  Choose a suitable set speed for the incline and use the brake or accelerator as needed for the road and traffic conditions ahead.

• Changing lanes

  Your vehicle Lane-changing vehicle

  A vehicle moving into your lane from an adjacent lane may not be detected until it enters the front radar’s detection range. If it changes lanes abruptly, SCC may not recognise it immediately. Maintain a safe braking distance and, if necessary, press the brake pedal to reduce speed.

• Detecting a vehicle

  The front radar may not detect certain vehicles in your lane, including:

  • Vehicles positioned towards one side of the lane.

  • Slow-moving vehicles or vehicles that decelerate suddenly.

  • Vehicles with high ground clearance or loads extending beyond the rear of the vehicle.

  • Vehicles whose front end is raised by a heavy load.

  • Vehicles less than approximately 2 m (6 ft) from your vehicle.

  • Oncoming vehicles.

  • Stopped vehicles.

  • Vehicles with a small rear profile, such as trailers.

  • Narrow vehicles, including motorcycles, bicycles and powered two-wheelers.

  • Special vehicles.

  • Animals and pedestrians.

  The front radar may also fail to detect the vehicle ahead in these situations. Watch the road and traffic carefully, drive safely and adjust your speed when necessary:

  • You are steering your vehicle.

  • You are driving on a narrow or sharply curved road.

• When a vehicle ahead disappears at an intersection

  If the vehicle ahead leaves your path at an intersection, the Kia Sportage may accelerate.

  Stay alert to traffic and road conditions whenever you are driving.

• When a vehicle ahead moves out of your lane

  If the vehicle ahead moves out of your lane, SCC may not immediately detect the vehicle that is now in front of you.

  Stay alert to traffic and road conditions whenever you are driving.

• Always watch for pedestrians

  Watch for pedestrians at all times, even when the Kia Sportage is maintaining a set distance from the vehicle ahead.

Smart Cruise Control malfunction

A: Check Driver Assistance system If Smart Cruise Control (SCC) detects a fault, a warning message appears on the Kia Sportage instrument cluster and clears after a certain per...

Emergency Stop (ES): (if equipped)

On the Kia Sportage, Emergency Stop can help bring the vehicle to a stop within its current lane if the system determines that the driver is unresponsive. It does this by centring the vehicle in th...