Kia Venga’s Hill-Start Assist Control Previewed

Kia is continuing its offensive and keeps renewing its line-up in the fight for market share. The Korean car manufacturer officially presented the Venga at the Frankfurt Auto Show back in September together with the specifications of the car.

As the model should go on sale in a few months, Kia decided to present some of Venga’s convenience features. Today, the automaker explained how the the Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC) works and when exactly it's being activates.

“HAC maintains braking pressure for a certain amount of time while the driver moves their foot from the brake to the accelerator pedal. Along with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), the technology prevents the car from moving backwards and allows for a safer driving experience,” explained Il-young Jang, researcher for the Chassis Design Team, for Kia’s official blog.

“In vehicles without HAC, when the driver engages the brake by depressing the brake pedal and then removes their foot, the braking pressure that maintains the braking state is lessened. However, as seen in picture below, vehicles with HAC maintain braking pressure even when the driver’s foot has moved off the brake pedal until the driver pushes on the accelerator.”

“HAC operates with the ESP (Electronic Stability Program) on/off switch which actively controls the engine torque and braking in circumstances when it is difficult for drivers to control the vehicle, during sudden stops and turns, for example. By designing HAC to become activated when ESP is ‘on’, the driver can control the vehicle’s movement with greater safety,” he added.

Kia Venga will be manufactured in Europe, will go on sale on the continent in a few months and will be offered with a 7 year drivetrain warranty.