ACTIVE SAFETY
SYSTEMS
The vehicle may be equipped with the
following active safety devices:
Anti-Lock Braking (ABS) System
Drive Train Control (DTC) System
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
System
Traction Control System (TCS)
Panic Brake Assist (PBA) System
Hill Start Assist (HSA) System
Dynamic Steering Torque (DST)
System
Active Torque Vectoring (ATV)
System
For the operation of the systems, see
the following pages.
Anti-Lock Braking (ABS)
System
An integral part of the braking system,
the ABS prevents one or more wheels
from locking and slipping in all road
surface conditions, regardless of the
intensity of the braking action. The
system ensures that the vehicle can be
controlled even during emergency
braking, allowing the driver to optimize
stopping distances.
The system intervenes during braking
when the wheels are about to lock,
typically in emergency braking or
low-grip conditions where locking may
be more frequent. The system also improves control and
stability of the vehicle when braking on
a surface where the grip of the left and
right wheels varies, such as in a corner.
The Electronic Braking Force
Distribution (EBD) system works with
the ABS, allowing the brake force to be
distributed between the front and rear
wheels.
System Intervention
The ABS equipped on this vehicle is
provided with the "Brake-by-wire"
(Integrated Brake System - IBS)
function. With this system, the
command given by pressing the brake
pedal is not transmitted hydraulically,
but electrically. Therefore, the light
pulsation that is felt on the pedal with
the traditional system is no longer
noticeable.
Warning!
The ABS contains sophisticated
electronic equipment that may be
susceptible to interference caused by
improperly installed or high output radio
transmitting equipment. This interference
can cause possible loss of anti-lock braking
capability. Installation of such equipment
should be performed by qualified
professionals.
Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will
diminish their effectiveness and may lead to
a collision. Pumping makes the stopping distance longer. Just press firmly on your
brake pedal when you need to slow down
or stop.
The ABS cannot prevent the natural
laws of physics from acting on the vehicle,
nor can it increase braking or steering
efficiency beyond that afforded by the
condition of the vehicle brakes and tires or
the traction afforded.
The ABS cannot prevent collisions,
including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, following another vehicle
too closely, or hydroplaning.
The capabilities of an ABS equipped
vehicle must never be exploited in a
reckless or dangerous manner that could
jeopardize the user’s safety or the safety of
others.
Drive Train Control
(DTC) System — If
Equipped
Some models of this vehicle are
equipped with an All-Wheel Drive
system (AWD), which offers an optimal
drive for countless driving conditions
and road surfaces. The system reduces
the slipping of the tires to a minimum,
automatically redistributing the torque
to the front and rear wheels as needed.
To maximize fuel savings, the vehicle
with AWD automatically passes to
rear-wheel drive (RWD) when the road
and environmental conditions are such
that they wouldn't cause the tires to
slip. When the road and environmental
96
SAFETY
conditions require better traction, the
vehicle automatically goes to AWD
mode.
The driving mode, RWD or AWD, is
shown on the instrument cluster
display.
Note:If the system failure symbol
switches on, after starting the engine or
while driving, it means that the AWD
system is not working properly. If the
warning message activates frequently,
it is recommended to carry out the
maintenance operations.
Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) System
The ESC system improves the
directional control and stability of the
car in various driving conditions.
The ESC system corrects the car’s
understeer and oversteer, distributing
the brake force on the appropriate
wheels. The torque supplied by the
engine can also be reduced in order to
maintain control of the vehicle.
The ESC system uses sensors installed
on the car to determine the path that
the driver intends to follow and
compares it with the car’s effective
path. When the real path deviates from
the desired path, the ESC system
intervenes to counter the vehicle’s
understeer or oversteer.
Oversteer occurs when the car is
turning more than it should according
to the angle of the steering wheel.
Understeer occurs when the vehicle
is turning less than it should according
to the angle of the steering wheel.
System Intervention
The intervention of the system is
indicated by the flashing of the ESC
warning light on the instrument panel,
to inform the driver that the vehicle
stability and grip are critical.
Warning!
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot
prevent the natural laws of physics from
acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
the traction afforded by prevailing road
conditions. ESC cannot prevent accidents,
including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, driving on very slippery
surfaces, or hydroplaning. ESC also cannot
prevent accidents resulting from loss of
vehicle control due to inappropriate driver
input for the conditions. Only a safe,
attentive, and skillful driver can prevent
accidents. The capabilities of an ESC
equipped vehicle must never be exploited
in a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the
safety of others.
Vehicle modifications, or failure to
properly maintain your vehicle, may change
the handling characteristics of your vehicle,
and may negatively affect the performance
of the ESC system. Changes to the
steering system, suspension, braking system, tire type and size or wheel size
may adversely affect ESC performance.
Improperly inflated and unevenly worn tires
may also degrade ESC performance. Any
vehicle modification or poor vehicle
maintenance that reduces the effectiveness
of the ESC system can increase the risk of
loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover,
personal injury and death.
Traction Control System
(TCS)
The system automatically operates in
the event of slipping, loss of grip on wet
roads (hydroplaning), and acceleration
on one or both drive wheels on roads
that are slippery, snowy, icy, etc.
Depending on the slipping conditions,
two different control systems are
activated:
If the slipping involves both drive
wheels, the system intervenes, reducing
the power transmitted by the engine.
If the slipping only involves one of the
drive wheels, the Brake Limited
Differential (BLD) function is activated,
automatically braking the wheel which
is slipping (the behavior of a self-locking
differential is simulated). This will
increase the engine torque transferred
to the wheel which isn't slipping.
97
System Intervention
The intervention of the system is
indicated by the flashing of the ESC
warning light on the instrument panel,
to inform the driver that the vehicle
stability and grip are critical.
Panic Brake Assist
(PBA) System
The PBA system is designed to improve
the vehicle’s braking capacity during
emergency braking.
The system detects emergency braking
by monitoring the speed and force with
which the brake pedal is pressed, and
consequently applies the optimal brake
pressure. This can reduce the braking
distance: the PBA system therefore
complements the ABS.
Maximum assistance from the PBA
system is obtained by pressing the
brake pedal very quickly. In addition, the
brake pedal should be pressed
continuously during braking, avoiding
intermittent presses, to get the most
out of the system. Do not reduce
pressure on the brake pedal until
braking is no longer necessary.
The PBA system is deactivated when
the brake pedal is released.
Warning!
The Panic Brake Assist (PBA) cannot
prevent the natural laws of physics from
acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase
the traction afforded by prevailing road
conditions. PBA cannot prevent collisions,
including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, driving on very slippery
surfaces, or hydroplaning. The capabilities
of a PBA-equipped vehicle must never be
exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner, which could jeopardize the user's
safety or the safety of others.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
System
This is an integral part of the ESC
system and facilitates starting on
slopes, activating automatically in the
following cases:
Uphill: vehicle stationary on a road
with a gradient higher than 5%, engine
running, brake pressed and
transmission in neutral or gear other
than reverse engaged.
Downhill: vehicle stationary on a road
with a gradient higher than 5%, engine
running, brake pressed and reverse
gear engaged.
When setting off, the ESC system
control unit maintains the braking
pressure on the wheels until the engine
torque necessary for starting is reached, or in any case for a maximum
of two seconds, allowing your right foot
to be moved easily from the brake
pedal to the accelerator.
When two seconds without starting
have elapsed, the system is
automatically deactivated, gradually
releasing the braking pressure. During
this release stage, it is possible to hear
a typical mechanical brake release
noise, indicating the imminent
movement of the car.
Warning!
There may be situations where the Hill
Start Assist (HSA) will not activate and
slight rolling may occur, such as on minor
hills or with a loaded vehicle, or while
pulling a trailer. HSA is not a substitute for
active driving involvement. It is always the
driver’s responsibility to be attentive to
distance to other vehicles, people, and
objects, and most importantly brake
operation to ensure safe operation of the
vehicle under all road conditions. Your
complete attention is always required while
driving to maintain safe control of your
vehicle. Failure to follow these warnings
can result in a collision or serious personal
injury.
98
SAFETY
Dynamic Steering
Torque (DST) System
The DST function uses the integration
of the ESC system with the electric
power steering to increase the safety
level of the whole vehicle.
In critical situations (braking on surfaces
with different grip conditions), the ESC
system controls the steering through
the DST function to implement an
additional torque contribution on the
steering wheel in order to suggest the
most correct maneuver to the driver.
The coordinated action of the brakes
and steering increases the sensation of
safety and control of the vehicle.
Note:
The DST feature is only meant to help
the driver realize the correct course of
action through small torques on the
steering wheel, which means the
effectiveness of the DST feature is
highly dependent on the drivers
sensitivity and overall reaction to the
applied torque. It is very important to
realize that this feature will not steer the
vehicle, meaning the driver is still
responsible for steering the vehicle.
Active Torque Vectoring
(ATV) System
The dynamic drive control is used to
optimize and balance the drive torque
between the wheels of the same axles.
The ATV system improves the grip in
turns, sending more drive torque to the
external wheel.
Given that, in a turn, the external
wheels of the car travel more than the
internal ones and therefore turn faster,
sending a higher thrust to the external
rear wheel allows for the car to be more
stable and to not suffer an "understeer"
condition. Understeer occurs when the
vehicle is turning less than appropriate
for the steering wheel position.
AUXILIARY DRIVING
SYSTEMS
The vehicle can feature the following
auxiliary driving systems:
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)
For the operation of the systems, see
the following pages.
Blind Spot Monitoring
(BSM) System
The Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
system uses two radar sensors, located
in the rear bumper (one for each side),
to detect the presence of vehicles
(vehicles, trucks, motorcycles, etc.) in
the rear side blind spots of your vehicle.
GUID-06016S0001EMRear Sensor Location
99
Forward Collision
Warning (FCW) System
This is a driving assistance system which
comprises a radar located behind the
front bumper and a camera located in
the central part of the windshield.
In the event of an imminent collision,
the system intervenes by automatically
braking the vehicle to prevent the crash
or reduce its effects.
The system provides the driver with
audible and visual signals through
specific messages on the instrument
cluster display.
The system may lightly brake to warn
the driver if a possible frontal accident is
detected (limited braking). Signals and
limited braking are intended to allow the
driver to react promptly, in order to
prevent or reduce the effects of a
potential accident.
In situations with the risk of collision, if
the system detects no intervention by
the driver, it provides automatic braking
to help slow the vehicle and mitigate
the potential frontal collision (automatic
braking). If intervention by the driver on
the brake pedal is detected, but not
deemed sufficient, the system may
intervene in order to improve the
reaction of the braking system,
therefore reducing vehicle speed further
(additional assistance in braking stage).
The system will intervene automatically
in case of imminent collision or impact
against a pedestrian crossing the road
(speed under 31 mph (50 km/h)).Note:
For safety reasons, when the
vehicle has stopped, the brake calipers
may remain blocked for about two
seconds. Make sure you press the
brake pedal if the vehicle moves slightly
forward.
Warning!
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is not
intended to avoid a collision on its own, nor
can FCW detect every type of potential
collision. The driver has the responsibility to
avoid a collision by controlling the vehicle
via braking and steering. Failure to follow
this warning could lead to serious injury or
death.
Engagement/Disengagement
The following functions can be selected
in sequence using the Connect system:
“Settings”, “Safety”, “Forward Collision
Warning” and "Mode". Select from
among three operating modes:
Warning And Brake : the system
(if active), in addition to the visual and
audible warnings, provides limited
braking, automatic braking and
additional assistance in braking stage,
where the driver does not brake
sufficiently in the event of a potential
frontal impact.
GUID-06016S0003EMFront Bumper Radar Location
GUID-06016S0004EMWindshield Camera Location
102
SAFETY
Only Warning: the system, if active,
does not provide limited braking, but
guarantees automatic braking or
additional assistance in braking stage,
where the driver does not brake at all or
not sufficiently in the event of a potential
frontal impact. The visual and audible
warnings are deactivated, and will not
be provided.
Disable: the system does not
provide visual and audible warnings,
limited braking, automatic braking or
additional assistance in braking stage.
The system will therefore provide no
indication of a possible accident.
Activation/Deactivation
The Forward Collision Warning system
is activated whenever the engine is
started regardless of what is shown on
the Connect system.
Following a deactivation, the system will
not warn the driver about the possible
collision with the preceding vehicle,
regardless of the setting selected with
the Connect system.
Note: Each time the engine is started,
the system is activated regardless of
what setting was selected when it was
previously switched off.
This function is not active at a speed
lower than 4 mph (7 km/h) or higher
than 124 mph (200 km/h). The system is active when:
The engine is started.
Is active (on) in the Connect system.
The ignition is in the ON position.
The vehicle speed is between 4 mph
(7 km/h) and 124 mph (200 km/h).
The front seat belts are fastened.
The "Alfa DNA Pro" selector is not in
RACE position (where present).
Changing The System Sensitivity
The sensitivity of the system can be
changed through the Connect system
menu, choosing from one of the
following three options: "Near", "Med"
or "Far". Refer to the description in the
“Connect System Supplement” for how
to change the settings.
The pre-set option is "Med". With this
setting, the system warns the driver of a
possible collision with the vehicle in
front when that vehicle is at a standard
distance, between that of the other two
settings.
With the system sensitivity set to "Far",
the system will warn the driver of a
possible collision with the vehicle in
front when that vehicle is at a greater
distance, thus providing the possibility
of acting on the brakes more lightly and
gradually. This setting provides the
drivers with the maximum possible
reaction time to prevent a potential
accident. With the option set to "Near", the
system will alert the driver of a possible
collision with the vehicle in front when
that vehicle is close. This setting offers
the driver a lower reaction time
compared to the "Med" and "Far"
settings, in the event of a potential
collision, but permits more dynamic
driving of the vehicle.
The system sensitivity setting is kept in
the memory when the engine is
switched off.
System Limited Operation Signal
If the dedicated message is displayed,
a condition limiting the system
operation may have occurred. The
possible reasons of this limitation are
something blocking the camera view or
a fault.
If an obstruction is signaled, clean the
area of the windshield indicated in.
Although the vehicle can still be driven
in normal conditions, the system may
be not completely available.
When the conditions limiting the system
functions end, this will go back to
normal and complete operation. Should
the fault persist, contact an authorized
dealer.
System Failure Signaling
If the system switches off and a
dedicated message is shown on the
display, it means that there is a fault on
the system.
103
In this case, it is still possible to drive
the vehicle, but you are advised to
contact an authorized dealer as soon
as possible.
Radar Indication Not Available
If conditions are such that the radar
cannot detect obstacles correctly, the
system is deactivated and a dedicated
message appears on the display. This
generally occurs in the event of poor
visibility, such as when it is snowing or
raining heavily.
The system can also be temporarily
dimmed due to obstructions such as
mud, dirt or ice on the bumper. In such
cases, a dedicated message will be
shown on the display and the system
will be deactivated. This message can
sometimes appear in conditions of high
reflectivity (e.g. tunnels with reflective
tiles or ice or snow). When the
conditions limiting the system functions
end, this will go back to normal and
complete operation.
In certain particular cases, this
dedicated message could be displayed
when the radar is not detecting any
vehicles or objects within its view range.
If atmospheric conditions are not the
real reason behind this message, check
if the sensor is dirty. It could be
necessary to clean or remove any
obstructions in the area.
If the message appears often, even in
the absence of atmospheric conditions
such as snow, rain, mud or otherobstructions, contact an authorized
dealer for a sensor alignment check.
In the absence of visible obstructions,
manually removing the decorative cover
trim and cleaning the radar surface
could be required. Have this operation
performed at an authorized dealer.
Note:
It is recommended that you do
not install devices, accessories or
aerodynamic attachments in front of the
sensor or darken it in any way, as this
can compromise the correct functioning
of the system.
Frontal Collision Alarm With Active
Braking — If Equipped
If this function is selected, the brakes
are operated to reduce the speed of the
vehicle in the event of potential frontal
impact.
This function applies an additional
braking pressure if the braking pressure
applied by the driver does not suffice to
prevent potential frontal impact.
The function is active with speed above
4 mph (7 km/h).
Driving In Special Conditions
In certain driving conditions, such as,
for example:
Driving close to a bend.
The vehicle ahead is leaving a
roundabout.
Vehicles with small dimensions
and/or not aligned in the driving lane.
Lane change by other vehicles.
Vehicles travelling at right angles to
the vehicle.
System intervention might be
unexpected or delayed. The driver must
therefore be very careful, keeping
control of the vehicle to drive in
complete safety.
Note: In particularly complex traffic
conditions, the driver can deactivate the
system manually through the Connect
system.
Driving Close To A Bend
When entering or leaving a wide bend,
the system may detect a vehicle in front
you, but not driving on the same driving
lane. In cases such as these, the
system may intervene.
GUID-06016S0005EMDriving Around Wide Curves
104
SAFETY
Event Data Recorder (EDR)
This vehicle is equipped with an event
data recorder (EDR). The main purpose
of an EDR is to record, in certain crash
or near crash-like situations, such as an
air bag deployment or hitting a road
obstacle, data that will assist in
understanding how a vehicle’s systems
performed. The EDR is designed to
record data related to vehicle dynamics
and safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less. The
EDR in this vehicle is designed to
record such data as:
How various systems in your vehicle
were operating;
Whether or not the driver and
passenger safety belts were
buckled/fastened;
How far (if at all) the driver was
depressing the accelerator and/or
brake pedal; and,
How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better
understanding of the circumstances in
which crashes and injuries occur. Note:
EDR data are recorded by your
vehicle only if a non-trivial crash
situation occurs; no data are recorded
by the EDR under normal driving
conditions and no personal data (e.g.,
name, gender, age, and crash location)
are recorded. However, other parties,
such as law enforcement, could
combine the EDR data with the type of
personally identifying data routinely
acquired during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR,
special equipment is required, and
access to the vehicle or the EDR is
needed. In addition to the vehicle
manufacturer, other parties, such as law
enforcement, that have the special
equipment, can read the information if
they have access to the vehicle or the
EDR.
Child Restraints
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be
buckled up at all times, including babies
and children. Every state in the United
States, and every Canadian province,
requires that small children ride in
proper restraint systems. This is the
law, and you can be prosecuted for
ignoring it.
Children 12 years or younger should
ride properly buckled up in a rear seat,
if available. According to crash
statistics, children are safer when
properly restrained in the rear seats
rather than in the front.
Warning!
In a collision, an unrestrained child can
become a projectile inside the vehicle. The
force required to hold even an infant on
your lap could become so great that you
could not hold the child, no matter how
strong you are. The child and others could
be badly injured. Any child riding in your
vehicle should be in a proper restraint for
the child’s size.
123