Technology is helping to thwart car thieves, making life more depressing for owners of Hyundai and Kia vehicles.
The car theft rate of Korean automakers has dropped by more than half since companies updated their anti-theft software, according to a new study by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI). Hyundai and Kia thefts have skyrocketed in recent years after criminals discovered that some car models didn’t have ignition interlock devices, a generation that has long been popular in other vehicles.
A social media trend called the “Kia Challenge” appears to be compounding problems for automakers in recent years, with other people posting videos showing how to borrow Hyundai and Kia cars. At its peak, the Kia Challenge was linked to at least 14 reported accidents. and 8 deaths, according to figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Around nine million cars were affected by this wave of thefts, adding the Hyundai Elantra and Sonata as well as the Kia Forte and Soul. Hyundai and Kia agreed earlier this year to pay $200 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by drivers whose vehicles were stolen.
Hyundai and Kia advanced anti-theft generation in their cars in early 2023. Vehicles equipped with the improved software will only start if the owner’s key, or a copy, is in the ignition.
HLDI, which is affiliated with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, conducts research on auto insurance losses.
“The solution being proposed by corporations is incredibly effective,” Matt Moore, HLDI’s senior vice president, said in a statement. “If you own a Hyundai or Kia vehicle without an electronic immobilizer, call your local dealership today to download the software update. “
Approximately two dozen Hyundai and Kia models from 2011 to 2022 are eligible for the protection software update. Vehicles that earned it in December 2023 (a total of 30% of eligible Hyundais and 28% of eligible Kias in the HLDI database) had a theft reduction of 53%. according to the study.
The HLDI exam ended in December, which means it doesn’t account for any imaginable theft that may have occurred so far in 2024. Automakers said about 60% of eligible cars had been updated by July.
Despite the fixes, theft claims for affected Hyundai and Kia models continue to exceed industry standards, in addition to cars supplied with updated software, according to HLDI. One explanation for why may simply be that the software immobilizer only activates if the driver remembers it. to lock the vehicle with a key fob, while many other people are used to the transfer on the door handle.
Quotes were delayed by at least 15 minutes.
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