Hyundai and Kia are rolling out software updates to stop a series of thefts related to a TikTok challenge that the government says has resulted in at least 14 reported crashes and 8 deaths in the U. S. U. S.
There are loose updates for millions of cars that lack a key anti-theft device, a challenge that has been exploited on social media and led to widespread car theft.
This challenge does not affect Kia cars sold in Canada, a company representative told CBC News, which has had an anti-theft “electronic immobilizer” since 2007. A Hyundai representative showed that the scenario is the same for all Hyundai and Genesis cars sold. in Canada.
The software update extends the duration of the burglar alarm sound from 30 seconds to one minute and requires the key to be in the vehicle’s ignition transfer.
About 3. 8 million Hyundai and 4. 5 million Kia are eligible for the upgrade, the U. S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday. U. S.
Hyundai, Kia’s parent company, said upgrades began Tuesday for nearly 4 million cars, starting with one million 2017-20 Elantras, 2015-19 Sonatas and 2020-21 Venues. The upgrade is expected to be done for the remaining eligible cars. until June.
“We’ve prioritized the availability of upgrades for homeowners and renters of our best-selling cars and those who are the ultimate target of thieves, so dealers distribute them first,” said Randy Parker, chief executive officer of Hyundai Motor America.
Kia said it has already updated the software on some vehicles.
In September, the Highway Loss Data Institute, a unit of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, found that Hyundai and Kia cars without immobilizers had a vehicle theft loss rate of 2. 18 consistent with 1,000 vehicle-years insured. The rest of the industry combined had a rate of 1. 21. One year of insured vehicle is for one vehicle insured for one year.
The automobile institute from the style years 2015 to 2019. He has been reviewing vehicle theft claims since 2021.
Hyundai says all models produced after Nov. 1, 2021, have immobilizers as equipment.
One social media challenge, TikTok, highlighted the lack of vehicle immobilizers and resulted in at least 14 reported crashes and 8 deaths, according to NHTSA.
Hyundai and Kia will begin updates later this month, with later stages in the coming months. Hyundai will also provide window stickers to vehicle owners who alert would-be thieves that the vehicle opposes theft.
Last month, the city of Seattle sued Hyundai and Kia for failing to install anti-theft generation on some models.
“Kia and Hyundai have chosen to take shortcuts and reduce prices at the expense of their consumers and the public,” City Attorney Ann Davison said in a statement. “As a result, our police force has had to deal with a huge accumulation of vehicle theft and similar disorder with already limited resources. “
Seattle officials said thefts of Hyundai and Kia cars in July 2022 were 503 and 363 higher, respectively, than in the same month a year earlier.
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