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After months of theft that left at least 8 other people dead, automakers Hyundai and Kia are providing loose software updates for approximately 8. 3 million cars that can be stolen with a USB-A cable.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday that brand updates mean affected cars require a key in the ignition transfer to begin. Keyless car alarms will also sound for one minute of 30 seconds. Updates are expected to start arriving later this month, with phases launching in the following months for 3. 8 million Hyundai and 4. 5 million Kia.
According to the data and at least one lawsuit, the most affected cars are Kia manufactured between 2010 and 2021 and Hyundai cars produced between 2015 and 2021. Thieves break a rear window to prevent alarms, disclose the steering column and have USB support. -A cable in a corresponding socket. By turning the plug with a cable inserted, the car starts because cars do not have a motor immobilizer that prevents the engine from starting without a key attached.
In 2015, motor immobilizers were popular in 96% of most automakers’ vehicles, according to a September 2022 report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, but they were only installed on 26% of Hyundai and Kia aircraft. Corporations now have motor immobilizers. The 2. 18 immobilizer-free auto theft rate consistent with the year consistent with 1,000 vehicles insured, compared to 1. 21 for the industry average for 2015-2019.
The relative ease of flying went unnoticed without the “Kia Challenge,” a 2022 TikTok trend that features strategies and celebrates flights and travel. NHTSA attributes 14 reported injuries and 8 deaths to the viral challenge. While there are no national numbers for robberies and similar crimes, they are remarkable.
In Buffalo, New York, where a trip on Kia last fall killed 4 teenagers, Kia flights increased from 55 in 2020 to 275 in 2022, and there were 141 Hyundai flights, according to Buffalo News. In Washington, D. C. , 31% of the 393 vehicle thefts over a period of about 3 weeks in January involved Kias and Hyundai, city police told DC News Now. Insurance companies, in addition to State Farm and Progressive, have stopped accepting new insurance policies for many affected Hyundai and Kia models.
An Ars staff member had his own Hyundai stolen (pictured above) as part of the wave of robberies. The car took about two months to be returned, as the spare ignition parts were not in the inventory of local repair shops. An adjuster told the staff member that a visitor had a car stolen 3 times in a row because the car was not restored to its pre-theft condition until after each theft.
Both automakers introduced loose guide wheel locks to affected customers, and rarely liaised with local police. Hyundai also noted at NHTSA that it would include stickers for car owners that prominently demonstrate the car’s updated prestige. Software updates will require going to a reseller for installation; Hyundai reports that installation takes about an hour. Information on the updates can be obtained by calling Hyundai at 800-633-5151 or Kia at 800-333-4542.
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