The brand of South Korea’s largest automaker firm Hyundai Motor is pictured at Pyeongtaek port in Pyeongtaek on Apr. 15. Reuters-Yonhap
WASHINGTON — Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia agreed on Tuesday to retrofit greater than 4 million U.S. autos to handle theft considerations and set up prevention gear on all new autos to resolve an investigation by a bipartisan coalition of 35 attorneys common.
The state attorneys common mentioned the automakers will of free zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protectors to house owners of eligible autos, together with autos beforehand solely eligible for the businesses’ software program updates. Additionally they agreed to e all future U.S. autos with engine immobilizer anti-theft expertise to assist curb automobile thefts utilizing a technique popularized on TikTok and different social media channels.
TikTok movies displaying steal vehicles with out push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft gadgets have led to no less than 14 reported crashes and eight fatalities in the USA, regulators mentioned in 2023.
Automakers to pay restitution
Hyundai and Kia may also pay as much as $9 million in restitution to customers and to states to defray the prices of the investigation. Minnesota Lawyer Basic Keith Ellison mentioned the price of putting in ignition cylinder protectors on all eligible autos may exceed $500 million, citing estimates from the automakers.
Hyundai mentioned resolving the investigation is one other step ahead in addressing thefts involving sure 2011 by means of 2022 mannequin yr autos with out engine immobilizers. “This cooperative settlement builds upon Hyundai’s ongoing efforts to reinforce car safety in response to a technique of theft popularized on social media,” Hyundai mentioned.
Kia mentioned the settlement “is the newest in a collection of steps that Kia has taken to help our clients who’ve been impacted by criminals.” Kia mentioned the zinc-sleeve {hardware} modification combats the theft methodology impressed by social media “by reinforcing the ignition cylinder physique and stopping its elimination.”
As soon as eligible customers obtain notices in early 2026, they’ll have till the top of March 2027 to get the ignition cylinder protector put in at native dealerships.
In 2023, Hyundai and Kia agreed to a client class-action lawsuit settlement price $200 million over rampant automobile thefts of the Korean automakers’ autos, in line with attorneys for the house owners. The automakers additionally in 2023 provided software program upgrades to eight.3 million U.S. autos with out anti-theft immobilizers.
