LINDON — Lindon Hyundai Murdock is partnering with Lindon police to host a clinic where Hyundai drivers can upgrade their vehicles’ anti-theft generation for free.
Lindon city officials said the clinic responded to “persistent thefts” of some Hyundai cars that lacked push-button start and anti-theft devices. The clinic will be held on Saturday starting at 7 a. m. m. a. at 6 p. m. h. au 530 Lindon Park Drive.
CNN reported that some Hyundai and Kia models have noticed a tenfold increase in thefts since 2020, “an incredibly dramatic increase following a series of social media posts showing other people how to borrow vehicles. “
The Associated Press said in May 2023 that the sharp increase was due to viral videos, posted on TikTok and other social media platforms, teaching other people how to start cars with USB cables and exploiting a security flaw in some models sold in the U. S. U. S. without engine. Immobilizers, a popular feature in cars since the 1990s, that prevents the engine from starting unless the key is present.
The clinic is part of Hyundai’s nationwide network of dealerships offering free anti-theft software upgrades. Mobile service technicians will be at the clinic to install the software upgrade, which takes approximately 20 minutes.
Hyundai provides more details on the nearly four million cars affected by the thefts and eligible for the update.