Kia Soul 2023 Highway Driving Assist User Guide

Introduction

In the past several years, the automotive industry has undergone major developments, particularly in the area of driver-aid technologies. The Highway Driving Assist system, included in the brand-new Kia Soul 2023, is one such innovation that has attracted praise and attention. This intelligent driving aid system redefines highway driving with its cutting-edge features and elegant design, bringing greater safety, convenience, and peace of mind to both drivers and passengers.

The Kia Soul 2023’s Highway Driving Assist system also offers intelligent navigation integration, going beyond the usual driver-aid capabilities. The technology can identify approaching highway exits and interchanges using GPS and mapping data, sending the driver timely alerts and guaranteeing they never miss their intended turn. Using this integration lessens the stress and uncertainty that come with navigating intricate roadway networks, improving the overall driving experience.

Highway Driving Assist (HDA)

Highway Driving Assist is designed to help detect vehicles and lanes ahead, and help maintain distance from the vehicle ahead, maintain the set speed, help center the vehicle in the lane while driving on the highway (or motorway).

NOTICE

1. Highway Driving Assist is available only on the controlled access road of certain highways.
   1. Controlled access road indicates roads with limited entrances and exits that allow uninterrupted high-speed traffic flow. Only passenger cars and motorcycles are allowed on controlled access roads.
      
2. Additional highways may be expanded by future navigation updates.
   Highway Driving Assist operates on main roads of highways (or motorways), and does not operate on inter-changes or junctions.

Detecting sensor

Front view cameraFront radar
Refer to the picture above for the detailed location of the detecting sensors.

CAUTION
For more details on the precautions of the detecting sensors, refer to “Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) (Sensor Fusion) (if equipped)” on pages 5-51.

Highway Driving Assist settings
Highway Driving Assist

A: Driver Assistance

1. Driving Convenience
2. Highway Driving Assist

With the vehicle on, select Settings → Driver Assistance → Driving Convenience → Highway Driving Assist on the instrument cluster or Settings → Vehicle → Driver Assistance → Driving Convenience → Highway Driving Assist on the infotainment system. If Highway Driving Assist is selected, it helps maintain distance from the vehicle ahead, maintain the set speed, and helps center the vehicle in the lane.

WARNING
For your safety, change the Settings after parking the vehicle at a safe location.

NOTICE

1. If there is a problem with the functions, the settings cannot be changed. Have the function be inspected by an authorized Kia dealer.
2. If the vehicle is restarted, the functions will maintain the last setting.

Warning volume

A: Driver Assistance

1. Warning Volume
2. Driving Safety Priority
3. High
4. Medium
5. Low

With the vehicle on, select Settings → Vehicle → Driver Assistance → Warning Volume on the infotainment system to change the Warning volume to adjust the Warning volume levels; High, Medium or Low.
If Driving Safety Priority is selected, the audio volume will temporarily decrease to warn the driver with the audible warning for safe driving.

NOTICE
If you change the Warning volume, the Warning volume of other Driver Assistance systems may change.

Highway Driving Assist Operation

Displaying operating status
You can see the status of the Highway Driving Assist operation in the Driving Assist view on the cluster. Refer to “LCD Display Modes” on page 4-46.

Operating State

Standby State

Highway Driving Assist will be displayed as below depending on the status of the function.

1. Highway Driving Assist indicator, whether there is a vehicle ahead and the selected distance level are displayed.
2. Highway Driving Assist indicator
   1. Green: Operating state
   2. Grey: Standby state
   3. White blink: Accelerator depressed state
3. Set speed
4. Whether there is a vehicle ahead and the selected headway
5. Whether the lane is detected or not

NOTICE

1. For more details on the display refer to “Smart Cruise Control (SCC) (if equipped)” on pages 5-103.
2. For more details on the display, refer to “Lane Following Assist (LFA) (if equipped)” on pages 5-123.
3. The images and colors in the instrument cluster may differ depending on the cluster type or theme selected from the settings menu.

Highway Driving Assist operating
Highway Driving Assist operates when:

1. When driving on the available road, press the Drive Assist button to turn on Highway Driving Assist.
2. When entering the main roads of highways (or motorways) while Smart Cruise Control is operating, Driving Assist will not turn on if Lane Following Assist is turned off.

Restarting after stopping

A: Use a switch or pedal to accelerate

When Highway Driving Assist is operating, your vehicle will stop if the vehicle ahead of you stops. Also, if the vehicle ahead of you starts moving within 30 seconds after the stop, your vehicle will start as well. In addition, after the vehicle has stopped and 30 seconds have passed, the message will appear on the cluster. Depress the accelerator pedal or operate the + switch, – switch or switch to start driving.

Hands-off warning

A: Keep hands on steering wheel

If the driver takes their hands off the steering wheel for several seconds, the ‘Keep hands on the steering wheel’ warning message will appear and an audible warning will sound in stages.

1. First stage: Warning message
2. Second stage: Warning message (red steering wheel) and audible warning

A: Highway Driving Assist (HDA) system canceled

If the driver still does not have their hands on the steering wheel after the hands-off warning, a warning message will appear and Highway Driving Assist will be automatically canceled.

Driving speed limit

A: Driver’s grasp not detected. Driving speed will be limited 

When Highway Driving Assist is canceled by the hands-off warning, The driving speed will be limited. While the Driving Speed Limit function is operating, the warning message will appear on the cluster, and an audible warning will sound continuous.

Highway Driving Assist standby
When the Smart Cruise Control is temporarily canceled while Highway Driving Assist is operating, Highway Driving Assist will be in the standby state. At this time, Lane Following Assist will operate properly.

NOTICE

1. Driving Speed Limit helps you drive below 40 mph (60 km/h). At this time, the vehicle decelerates due to the vehicle ahead. After the vehicle has decelerated, it cannot automatically accelerate.
2. The driving Speed Limit will cancel in the following circumstances:
   1. When the driver grabs the steering wheel again
   2. When the driver turns on Lane Following Assist by pressing the Lane Driving Assist button
   3. When (+), (-), switch or button is operated, or the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal is depressed

Highway Driving Assist malfunction and limitations
Highway Driving Assist malfunction

A: Check HDA (Motorway Driving Assist) system

When Highway Driving Assist is not working properly, the warning message will appear, and the warning light will appear on the cluster. Have Highway Driving Assist be inspected by an authorized Kia dealer.

WARNING

1. The driver is responsible for controlling the vehicle for safe driving.
2. Always have your hands on the steering wheel while driving.
3. Highway Driving Assist is a supplemental function that assists the driver in driving the vehicle and is not a completely autonomous driving system. Always check road conditions, and if necessary, take appropriate actions to drive safely.
4. Always have your eyes on the road, and it is the responsibility of the driver to avoid violating traffic laws. The vehicle manufacturer is not responsible for any traffic violations or accidents caused by the driver.
5. Highway Driving Assist may not be able to recognize all traffic situations. Highway Driving Assist may not detect possible collisions due to the limitations of the function. Always be aware of the limitations of the function. Obstacles such as vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, or unspecified objects or structures such as guardrails, tollgate, etc., that may collide with the vehicle may not be detected.
6. Highway Driving Assist will turn off automatically under the following situations:
   1. Driving on roads that Highway Driving Assist does not operate, such as a rest area, intersection, junction, etc.
   2. The navigation does not operate properly such as when the navigation is being updated or restarted
7. Highway Driving Assist may inadvertently operate or turn off depending on road conditions (navigation information) and surroundings.
8. The Lane Following Assist function may be temporarily disabled when the front view camera cannot detect lanes properly or the hands-off warning is on.
9. You may not hear the warning sound of Highway Driving Assist if the surroundings is noisy.
10. If the vehicle is driven at high speed above a certain speed at a curve, your vehicle may drive to one side or may depart from the driving lane.
11. When you are towing a trailer or another vehicle, turn off Highway Driving Assist for safety reasons.
12. The hands–off warning message may appear early or late depending on how the steering wheel is held or road conditions. Always have your hands on the steering wheel while driving.
13. For your safety, please read the owner’s manual before using the Highway Driving Assist.
14. Highway Driving Assist will not operate when the vehicle is started, or when the detecting sensors or navigation is being initialized.

Limitations of Highway Driving Assist
Highway Driving Assist may not operate properly, or it may not operate under the following circumstances:

1. The map information and the actual road is different because the navigation is not updated
2. The map information and the actual road is different because of real-time GPS data or map information error
3. The infotainment system is overloaded by simultaneously performing functions such as route search, video playback, voice recognition, etc.
4. GPS signals are blocked in areas such as a tunnel
5. The driver goes off course, or resets the navigation route by changing the destination (including route change according to real-time road traffic information), or cancels the route to the destination
6. The vehicle enters a service station or rest area
7. Android Auto or Car Play is operating
8. The navigation cannot detect the current vehicle position (for example, elevated roads including overpasses adjacent to general roads or nearby roads exist in a parallel way)

NOTICE
For more details on the limitations of the front view camera and front radar, refer to “Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) (Sensor Fusion) (if equipped)” on pages 5-51.

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules.
Operation is subject to the following three conditions:

1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and
2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
3. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the device.

Radiofrequency radiation exposure information:
This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This equipment should be installed and operated with a minimum distance of 8 inches (20 cm) between the radiator (antenna) and your body. This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.

FAQs

1. What is Highway Driving Assist (HDA)?
   The Kia Soul 2023 has a technology called Highway Driving Assist (HDA), which combines adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance to enable semi-autonomous driving on highways.
2. How does Highway Driving Assist work?
   To determine the car’s location within the lane and the distance to the vehicle in front, Highway Driving Assist employs a combination of radar sensors and cameras. To maintain a safe distance and stay in the center of the lane, it modifies the speed and steering.
3. Is Highway Driving Assist available in all Kia Soul 2023 trims?
   In certain Kia Soul 2023 trims, Highway Driving Assist is an optional feature. Not all trim levels might have it as standard equipment.
4. Can I rely on Highway Driving Assist for completely autonomous driving?
   No, Highway Driving Assist is not a fully automated driving system; rather, it is a driver-assistance feature. At all times, the driver must be alert and available to take over control of the vehicle.
5. At what speeds does Highway Driving Assist operate?
   Depending on the unique capabilities and constraints of the Kia Soul 2023 model, Highway Driving Assist can operate at speeds between a certain range, often around 0 to 90 miles per hour (0 to 145 kilometers per hour).
6. Does Highway Driving Assist work only on highways?
   As its name suggests, Highway Driving Assist is primarily developed for highway driving. It might, however, also work on some well-marked highways with distinct lane markers.
7. Can I use Highway Driving Assist in heavy traffic or city driving conditions?
   Although Highway Driving Assist is primarily designed for highway use, it may still be helpful when there is less traffic. For situations including congested cities or excessive traffic, it might not be as useful or advised.
8. Can I adjust the following distance in Highway Driving Assist?
   In Highway Driving Assist, you can often change the following distance setting. Depending on the Kia Soul 2023 model and its available features, the specific options might change.
9. Does Highway Driving Assist provide lane-change assistance?
   Specific lane-change assistance functions are not normally included in the Kia Soul 2023’s Highway Driving Assist. Safe lane changes must be planned and carried out by the driver.
10. Can I turn off Highway Driving Assist if needed?
    In most cases, you can disable Highway Driving Assist if you want to. Usually, a button or control lets you enable or disable the feature in accordance with your preferences.
11. Is Highway Driving Assist affected by weather conditions?
    Unfavorable weather conditions, such as persistent rain, snow, or fog, may impair the functionality of Highway Driving Assist. It is always advised to drive cautiously and stick to the manual gearbox when the weather is bad.
12. Can Highway Drive Assist detect pedestrians or cyclists?
    Although Highway Driving Assist may have a variety of specialized capabilities, its main function is to recognize and react to other vehicles. Highway Driving Assist for the Kia Soul 2023 may not come standard with pedestrian and cyclist recognition.
13. Does Highway Driving Assist require regular calibration or maintenance?
    In general, Highway Driving Assist does not need routine calibration or maintenance. However, it is always advised to adhere to the upkeep instructions Kia provides for your particular model.
14. Can I override the steering inputs of Highway Driving Assist?
    Yes, the driver can typically overrule Highway Driving Assist’s steering inputs by physically guiding the car. The driver maintains control and has the option to step in as needed.
15. Is Highway Driving Assist a standard feature or an optional add-on?
    Certain Kia Soul 2023 models often come with Highway Driving Assist as an add-on option. It might not be included as standard equipment and cost more.

Useful Links

View Full User Guide: Kia Soul 2023 Owner’s Manual | Auto User Guide
Download Manuals: Kia | Owner’s Manuals and Documents