Often, when a driver must stop their car suddenly or unexpectedly to avoid a collision, they will press hard on the brake pedal in a panicked attempt to prevent the collision. In this situation, the brakes can lock the wheels, and the wheels will lose traction with the road that results in the vehicle skidding and simply sliding – straight into the obstacle. Because the tyres have no grip on the road, the driver will not be able to steer the car to avoid the obstacle.

ABS hydraulically pulses the brakes by applying and releasing pressure at the brake pads in rapid succession to keep static friction in play and in most situations stops the car more quickly than it would with locked wheels. This allows the driver to steer while braking because the wheels maintain friction with the road and are able to respond when the driver turns the wheel. 

EBD, or Electronic brake-force distribution, is an active vehicle safety system designed to make braking as efficient as possible. EBD makes the amount of brake force applied to a wheel proportional to that specific wheel’s load at the time. It reduces the dangers of wheel lock up by automatically balancing the brake force applied to each wheel according to the overall weight distribution of the vehicle, among other factors.

EBD often works in conjunction with ABS by monitoring each wheel’s responsiveness to the brake, and tailors and corrects the amount of brake-force applied to each wheel by redistributing the brake-force individually to obtain optimal braking efficiency – while retaining the maximum amount of braking power possible, and reducing the risk of fishtailing or spinning out of control.

 

ESC/ESP/DSC or Electronic Stability Control/Electronic Stability

 

Program/Dynamic Stability Control are systems that use multiple sensors to measure wheel speed, steering angle, yaw rate, among others, and detects if a vehicle is not following its intended course. It then course corrects the vehicle within milliseconds by independently controlling and regulating the brake pressure (apart from controlling multiple other functions like engine, transmission, and electric steering) to the relevant wheel to compensate for the momentum. The system prevents wheel slippage and skidding, as well as understeer and oversteer, allowing the driver to maintain control of the vehicle in emergency situations by keeping the vehicle headed in the driver’s intended course.

Key Passive Safety Systems

Body shell. A car’s body shell might only just look like a metal structure, but its chassis is a key passive safety system. Lots of time and engineering go into creating a body that is light enough to make a vehicle economical and maneuverable, yet strong enough in the right places so it can protect you in the unfortunate event of a collision. When researching your next car, be sure to look into what technologies have gone into creating its bodyshell. Kia makes use of ultra-high tensile strength steel in our vehicles in order to improve rigidity while minimising weight.

Crumple Zones incorporated in the vehicle’s body shell structure are designed to absorb collision energy in a way that reduces the impact on the vehicle’s passenger compartment and its occupants. People will often incorrectly assess a vehicle as being weak when seeing it crushed, when in fact, modern vehicles are designed to ensure the vehicle absorbs as much impact energy as possible so that its occupants don’t have to.

Airbags are impact-cushioning devices made from nylon, which provides an energy absorbing surface between the occupant and the vehicle’s surrounding components. Generally, the more airbags a vehicle has the better. Airbags are a supplemental restraint system to the safety belts, which is triggered by a pyrotechnic process designed to be used only once. It’s important to note that the airbags’ deployment is dependent on numerous factors, conditions and variables calculated by the algorithm of the Airbag computer.

Seatbelts are probably one of the most important vehicle safety systems. In fact, a vehicle can be equipped with every conceivable active safety system available, but if seatbelts aren’t used, it would have no value at all. While seatbelts have been around for some time, there are new seatbelt related technologies that one can look out for, such as seatbelt pre-tensioners. Seat belt pre-tensioners use the car’s seatbelt to firmly pull occupants into their seats when a collision is detected so they can receive the best possible protection from airbag deployment. It also prevents the occupant from sliding out from under the seatbelt in the event of a collision.

Car seats and Isofix. It’s always important to check fitting lists to make sure that that the car seat you currently use is compatible or recommended for use with the car you intend to purchase.Once you’ve determined this, it is important to remember that the correct installation of your child’s car seat is extremely important. Isofix is a great feature to help mitigate against incorrect car seat installation that may happen when using only seatbelts to secure car seats, which is why Isofix is a crucial feature if you intend using a child seat in your new car.

Tips for finding your next safe vehicle

• Check for the vehicle’s NCAP rating

Use the NCAP rating of vehicle you intend to purchase to compare it to other vehicles in the same segment. But remember: NCAP specifications vary from region to region, so make sure you compare ratings from the same region.

• Check safety specifications on the vehicle brand’s website.

While third-party and used car listing sites are often accurate, it's important to make sure that safety features indicated are available on the vehicle you plan to purchase.

• Develop a safety checklist with a list of your safety requirements

Use this along with your feature wishlist when searching for your next car.

• Check Child Car Seat Safety Ratings and Fitting lists for the brand of car seat you own.

 

Happy Car Hunting!

What customers can expect:

All dealerships will be operating under full compliance with Alert Level 4 safety measures:

- All visitors and staff will be subject to temperature screening when entering a Kia Motors facility. No person with a body temperature over 37,5 degrees Celsius will be allowed in;
- All visitors will be offered sanitiser to clean their hands and, once they gain entry past reception, will be accompanied by a member of staff until they leave the premises. Social distancing measures will apply at all times;
- In some cases it will be advised that customers remain in their vehicles until they can be assisted. Staff members will provide clear instructions;
- Perspex screens have been fitted at counters where there is interaction between staff and customers;
- All public spaces will be sanitised 6 times per day;
- Only one person is allowed in the restroom at a time; full sanitization every two hours;
- All staff will wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as masks, at all times;
- When receiving and handing over customers' cars, we will carry out antiseptic treatment of interior elements, such as: steering wheel, gear knob, door handles and adjustment details of various systems, ignition keys and key rings, etc;
- All cleaning procedures will apply to demo vehicles as well, and these will be santised before and after use;
- Customers can, at any time, request that a specific area or vehicle be sanitised in their presence.

Tailor-made service:

We encourage our clients to call their preferred dealership beforehand – whether it is to attend to a vehicle repair, book a service appointment or schedule a showroom visit – as it will enable the dealership to stagger visitors, thereby keeping the number of people inside the dealership to acceptable levels, as well as negating any waiting time at the dealership. Customers have expressed concern regarding their inability to have their vehicles serviced during the Level 5 Lockdown period, and KMSA wishes to assure customers that we have accommodated the lockdown period by extending warranty, service and maintenance parameters. Please feel free to contact any Kia dealership for further information.

“Despite the lengths we’ve gone to, to ensure everyones safety, we appreciate that some customers might still be hesitant to engage physically in a public space, which is why our dealerships have been adequately resourced and mandated to provide customers with tailor-made service solutions that give them the necessary comfort to purchase or service with us,” comments Scott. “The dealership may even offer you an alternative to visiting the showroom, such as an at-home test drive, or collecting and dropping your vehicle for servicing and maintenance. Give us a call, send us an email or connect with us through Kia.co.za; we will find the best solution to your need.”

About Kia Motors South Africa

Kia Motors South Africa was founded in April 1998, and is incorporated under Motus Corporation as the official importer and distributor of Kia Motors in southern Africa. Surprising South Africa for the past 20 years, Kia Motors South Africa has a dealership footprint spanning 68 dealerships throughout southern Africa, and offers a full range of passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles. Kia is the official sponsor of Beach Tennis in South Africa, and a proud partner to Tennis South Africa.

About Kia Motors Corporation

Kia Motors Corporation was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. About 3 million Kia vehicles a year are produced at 14 manufacturing and assembly operations in five countries, which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering around 180 countries. Kia today has around 51,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of over US$47 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open, official automotive partner of FIFA – the governing body of the FIFA World Cup™ - and official partner of the UEFA Europa League – the world’s largest professional club football competition. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan – "The Power to Surprise" – represents the company's global commitment to surprise the world by providing exciting and inspiring experiences that go beyond expectations.

Consideration 4: Documentation

Once you’ve found the right vehicle for you, ensure you have the relevant documentation on hand. You will need to provide your chosen dealer with your driver’s licence, latest payslip and three months’ bank statements. If you do not have a licence, it will not be possible for you to receive financing for your vehicle.​

 

Consideration 5: Choose Reputable Dealers 

Its advisable to purchase your new or pre-owned vehicle from a reputable brand and dealership network like Kia Konfidence,where all vehicles meet stringent parameters and are backed by the Kia Konfidence promise, which includes a 125 ​ point check, full franchise service history, balance of manufacturer warranty, independent quality assurance certification, 12 months’ roadside assistance and a 30 day/1000km exchange policy. ​

Often, when a driver must stop their car suddenly or unexpectedly to avoid a collision, they will press hard on the brake pedal in a panicked attempt to prevent the collision. In this situation, the brakes can lock the wheels, and the wheels will lose traction with the road that results in the vehicle skidding and simply sliding – straight into the obstacle. Because the tyres have no grip on the road, the driver will not be able to steer the car to avoid the obstacle.

ABS hydraulically pulses the brakes by applying and releasing pressure at the brake pads in rapid succession to keep static friction in play and in most situations stops the car more quickly than it would with locked wheels. This allows the driver to steer while braking because the wheels maintain friction with the road and are able to respond when the driver turns the wheel. 

EBD, or Electronic brake-force distribution, is an active vehicle safety system designed to make braking as efficient as possible. EBD makes the amount of brake force applied to a wheel proportional to that specific wheel’s load at the time. It reduces the dangers of wheel lock up by automatically balancing the brake force applied to each wheel according to the overall weight distribution of the vehicle, among other factors.

EBD often works in conjunction with ABS by monitoring each wheel’s responsiveness to the brake, and tailors and corrects the amount of brake-force applied to each wheel by redistributing the brake-force individually to obtain optimal braking efficiency – while retaining the maximum amount of braking power possible, and reducing the risk of fishtailing or spinning out of control.

 

ESC/ESP/DSC or Electronic Stability Control/Electronic Stability

 

Program/Dynamic Stability Control are systems that use multiple sensors to measure wheel speed, steering angle, yaw rate, among others, and detects if a vehicle is not following its intended course. It then course corrects the vehicle within milliseconds by independently controlling and regulating the brake pressure (apart from controlling multiple other functions like engine, transmission, and electric steering) to the relevant wheel to compensate for the momentum. The system prevents wheel slippage and skidding, as well as understeer and oversteer, allowing the driver to maintain control of the vehicle in emergency situations by keeping the vehicle headed in the driver’s intended course.

Key Passive Safety Systems

Body shell. A car’s body shell might only just look like a metal structure, but its chassis is a key passive safety system. Lots of time and engineering go into creating a body that is light enough to make a vehicle economical and maneuverable, yet strong enough in the right places so it can protect you in the unfortunate event of a collision. When researching your next car, be sure to look into what technologies have gone into creating its bodyshell. Kia makes use of ultra-high tensile strength steel in our vehicles in order to improve rigidity while minimising weight.

Crumple Zones incorporated in the vehicle’s body shell structure are designed to absorb collision energy in a way that reduces the impact on the vehicle’s passenger compartment and its occupants. People will often incorrectly assess a vehicle as being weak when seeing it crushed, when in fact, modern vehicles are designed to ensure the vehicle absorbs as much impact energy as possible so that its occupants don’t have to.

Airbags are impact-cushioning devices made from nylon, which provides an energy absorbing surface between the occupant and the vehicle’s surrounding components. Generally, the more airbags a vehicle has the better. Airbags are a supplemental restraint system to the safety belts, which is triggered by a pyrotechnic process designed to be used only once. It’s important to note that the airbags’ deployment is dependent on numerous factors, conditions and variables calculated by the algorithm of the Airbag computer.

Seatbelts are probably one of the most important vehicle safety systems. In fact, a vehicle can be equipped with every conceivable active safety system available, but if seatbelts aren’t used, it would have no value at all. While seatbelts have been around for some time, there are new seatbelt related technologies that one can look out for, such as seatbelt pre-tensioners. Seat belt pre-tensioners use the car’s seatbelt to firmly pull occupants into their seats when a collision is detected so they can receive the best possible protection from airbag deployment. It also prevents the occupant from sliding out from under the seatbelt in the event of a collision.

Car seats and Isofix. It’s always important to check fitting lists to make sure that that the car seat you currently use is compatible or recommended for use with the car you intend to purchase.Once you’ve determined this, it is important to remember that the correct installation of your child’s car seat is extremely important. Isofix is a great feature to help mitigate against incorrect car seat installation that may happen when using only seatbelts to secure car seats, which is why Isofix is a crucial feature if you intend using a child seat in your new car.

Tips for finding your next safe vehicle

• Check for the vehicle’s NCAP rating

Use the NCAP rating of vehicle you intend to purchase to compare it to other vehicles in the same segment. But remember: NCAP specifications vary from region to region, so make sure you compare ratings from the same region.

• Check safety specifications on the vehicle brand’s website.

While third-party and used car listing sites are often accurate, it's important to make sure that safety features indicated are available on the vehicle you plan to purchase.

• Develop a safety checklist with a list of your safety requirements

Use this along with your feature wishlist when searching for your next car.

• Check Child Car Seat Safety Ratings and Fitting lists for the brand of car seat you own.

 

Happy Car Hunting!

What customers can expect:

All dealerships will be operating under full compliance with Alert Level 4 safety measures:

- All visitors and staff will be subject to temperature screening when entering a Kia Motors facility. No person with a body temperature over 37,5 degrees Celsius will be allowed in;
- All visitors will be offered sanitiser to clean their hands and, once they gain entry past reception, will be accompanied by a member of staff until they leave the premises. Social distancing measures will apply at all times;
- In some cases it will be advised that customers remain in their vehicles until they can be assisted. Staff members will provide clear instructions;
- Perspex screens have been fitted at counters where there is interaction between staff and customers;
- All public spaces will be sanitised 6 times per day;
- Only one person is allowed in the restroom at a time; full sanitization every two hours;
- All staff will wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as masks, at all times;
- When receiving and handing over customers' cars, we will carry out antiseptic treatment of interior elements, such as: steering wheel, gear knob, door handles and adjustment details of various systems, ignition keys and key rings, etc;
- All cleaning procedures will apply to demo vehicles as well, and these will be santised before and after use;
- Customers can, at any time, request that a specific area or vehicle be sanitised in their presence.

Tailor-made service:

We encourage our clients to call their preferred dealership beforehand – whether it is to attend to a vehicle repair, book a service appointment or schedule a showroom visit – as it will enable the dealership to stagger visitors, thereby keeping the number of people inside the dealership to acceptable levels, as well as negating any waiting time at the dealership. Customers have expressed concern regarding their inability to have their vehicles serviced during the Level 5 Lockdown period, and KMSA wishes to assure customers that we have accommodated the lockdown period by extending warranty, service and maintenance parameters. Please feel free to contact any Kia dealership for further information.

“Despite the lengths we’ve gone to, to ensure everyones safety, we appreciate that some customers might still be hesitant to engage physically in a public space, which is why our dealerships have been adequately resourced and mandated to provide customers with tailor-made service solutions that give them the necessary comfort to purchase or service with us,” comments Scott. “The dealership may even offer you an alternative to visiting the showroom, such as an at-home test drive, or collecting and dropping your vehicle for servicing and maintenance. Give us a call, send us an email or connect with us through Kia.co.za; we will find the best solution to your need.”

About Kia Motors South Africa

Kia Motors South Africa was founded in April 1998, and is incorporated under Motus Corporation as the official importer and distributor of Kia Motors in southern Africa. Surprising South Africa for the past 20 years, Kia Motors South Africa has a dealership footprint spanning 68 dealerships throughout southern Africa, and offers a full range of passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles. Kia is the official sponsor of Beach Tennis in South Africa, and a proud partner to Tennis South Africa.

About Kia Motors Corporation

Kia Motors Corporation was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. About 3 million Kia vehicles a year are produced at 14 manufacturing and assembly operations in five countries, which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering around 180 countries. Kia today has around 51,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of over US$47 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open, official automotive partner of FIFA – the governing body of the FIFA World Cup™ - and official partner of the UEFA Europa League – the world’s largest professional club football competition. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan – "The Power to Surprise" – represents the company's global commitment to surprise the world by providing exciting and inspiring experiences that go beyond expectations.

Consideration 4: Documentation

Once you’ve found the right vehicle for you, ensure you have the relevant documentation on hand. You will need to provide your chosen dealer with your driver’s licence, latest payslip and three months’ bank statements. If you do not have a licence, it will not be possible for you to receive financing for your vehicle.​

 

Consideration 5: Choose Reputable Dealers 

Its advisable to purchase your new or pre-owned vehicle from a reputable brand and dealership network like Kia Konfidence,where all vehicles meet stringent parameters and are backed by the Kia Konfidence promise, which includes a 125 ​ point check, full franchise service history, balance of manufacturer warranty, independent quality assurance certification, 12 months’ roadside assistance and a 30 day/1000km exchange policy. ​