Hyundai and Kia Targeted by Theft... WP Attributes to US Authorities' Lax Regulation

"Stealing Incidents of Hyundai and Kia Occur Only in the US"
"Fundamental Flaws Remain Despite Anti-Theft Updates"

Anti-theft device installed on the steering wheel

Recently, a surge in theft incidents targeting Hyundai and Kia vehicles has been reported in the United States, raising concerns about regulatory shortcomings by authorities.

On the 10th (local time), Heather Long, a columnist and editorial board member of The Washington Post (WP), revealed in a column that traces of an attempted theft of her Kia Soul passenger car were found last December. She had parked her vehicle in front of the Washington DC Police Department and went out on a reporting assignment by police helicopter. However, upon returning, she discovered that someone had attempted to steal her car, which was parked between police cars. Heather Long wrote about her experience, "Thieves had torn off the rear windshield wiper. Later, I found out that this can disable the vehicle’s wiper control," adding, "There were signs of attempts to pry open the driver’s door in several places, and multiple marks indicating attempts to break the rear seat windows were also confirmed."

In Washington alone, over 1,000 vehicle hijackings and more than 6,800 vehicle thefts occurred last year. This represents an increase of more than 80% compared to 2022. The column pointed out that "the reckless theft of Hyundai and Kia vehicles by teenagers is unique to the United States," noting that "such incidents do not occur in Canada or Europe." It further stated, "Since 2007, most developed countries, including Canada and Australia, have mandated the installation of ignition immobilizers by automobile manufacturers," but criticized that the United States still does not require manufacturers to install them. An immobilizer is an anti-theft device that contains a special chip embedded in the car key, and the engine will not start unless the signal from this chip matches.

The column explained, "As a result, only one-quarter of Hyundai and Kia vehicles from 2011 to 2021 in the U.S. are equipped with immobilizers," adding, "Without this device, a vehicle can be easily stolen in less than a minute using just a screwdriver and a USB cable." In fact, insurance claims related to Hyundai and Kia vehicle thefts in the U.S. increased by 1,000% in the first quarter of last year compared to the same period in 2020. Allen Kamm, a former lawyer at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), argued that this phenomenon "is entirely due to regulatory loopholes and that standards need to be revised."

Earlier, a video demonstrating vehicle theft methods went viral on social media, leading to reports that thefts of certain Hyundai and Kia models have increased more than tenfold over the past three years. The video showed how to start a car without a key using a USB cable and screwdriver.

The column also mentioned the responsibility of Hyundai and Kia. It stated, "The two companies reached a $200 million settlement with consumers, but as of the end of last year, no one had received a penny," criticizing, "They are providing anti-theft updates, but as criminals know, this does not fix the fundamental flaw."