Technology helps foil car thieves, making life miserable for car owners Hyundai and Kia vehicles.
Theft rates from Korean automakers have dropped by more than half since the companies updated their anti-theft software, according to a new study from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI). Thefts from Hyundai and Kia have spiked in recent years after criminals discovered that some models of cars were not equipped with an immobilizer, a technology that has long been standard on other vehicles.
A social media trend called the “Kia Challenge” appears to be adding to the automakers’ problems in recent years, with people posting videos showing how to steal Hyundai and Kia cars. At its peak, the Kia Challenge was linked to at least 14 reported crashes and eight deaths, according to figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Nearly 9 million vehicles have been affected by the thefts, including Hyundai Elantras and Sonatas as well as Kia Fortes and Souls. Hyundai and Kia agreed earlier this year to pay $200 million to settle class action lawsuit filed by drivers whose vehicles have been stolen.
“Extremely effective”
Hyundai and Kia upgraded the anti-theft technology in their cars in early 2023. Vehicles equipped with the upgraded software will only start if the owner’s key, or an identical duplicate, is in the ignition.
HLDI, an affiliate of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, conducts research on auto insurance losses.
“The companies’ solution is extremely effective,” said Matt Moore, senior vice president of HLDI, in a statement. “If you own a Hyundai or Kia vehicle without an electronic immobilizer, you should call your local dealership to get the software upgrade today.”
About two dozen Hyundai and Kia models from 2011 to 2022 are eligible for the security software upgrade. Vehicles that received it by December 2023 (a total of 30% of eligible Hyundais and 28% of eligible Kias in HLDI’s database) had 53% lower theft claim frequencies than vehicles that did not receive the upgrade, the study found.
The HLDI study ended in December, meaning it does not take into account any thefts that may have occurred through 2024. Automakers said about 60% of eligible vehicles had been upgraded as of July.
Despite the fixes, theft claims for affected Hyundai and Kia models continue to exceed industry norms, including for vehicles equipped with the updated software, according to HLDI. One reason may be that the software-based immobilizer only activates if the driver remembers to lock the vehicle with an electronic key, while many people are accustomed to using the switch on the door handle.
