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Hyundai and Kia car thefts fall sharply after software upgrade, study finds (www.cbsnews.com)

submitted 3 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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A social media trend, dubbed the "Kia Challenge," has appeared to compound the automakers' problems in recent years, with people posting videos showing how to steal Hyundai and Kia cars. At its height, the Kia Challenge was linked to at least 14 reported crashes and eight fatalities, according to figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

About 9 million vehicles have been impacted by the rash of thefts, including Hyundai Elantras and Sonatas as well as Kia Fortes and Souls. Hyundai and Kia earlier this year agreed to pay $200 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by drivers who had their vehicles stolen.

Technology is helping foil car thieves making life miserable for owners of Hyundai and Kia vehicles.

Hyundai and Kia upgraded their cars' anti-theft tech in early 2023. Vehicles equipped with the enhanced software will only start if the owner's key, or an identical duplicate, is in the ignition.

The rate at which the Korean automakers' cars are stolen has fallen by more than half since the companies upgraded their anti-theft software, according to new research from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI). Hyundai and Kia thefts have soared in recent years after criminals discovered that certain car models lacked engine immobilizers — technology that has long been standard in other vehicles.

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[–] [email protected] 103 points 3 months ago (36 children)

Hyundai and Kia upgraded their cars' anti-theft tech in early 2023. Vehicles equipped with the enhanced software will only start if the owner's key, or an identical duplicate, is in the ignition.

Fucking.... What? A 2023 anti theft technology upgrade added the space age cutting edge concept of starting the car with... the key?

If my car could start without the key in the bloody ignition I'd be furious, that's what the key is for, haha. You can add extra doohickeys to enhance security, but the first line of defence is the key that starts the car.

Absolute madness.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (20 children)

Keyless start is fucking awesome though, just get in the car and drive. I wouldn't even consider a car without after having one with it. Pretty much all other manufacturers have this in a safe way that doesn't make the cars easier to steal. Its not the keyless start that's the issue, its how they implemented it.

I mean, many new cars don't even have an old school key ignition at all.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 3 months ago (5 children)

Til someone uses flipper to clone your key n jack your shit

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

That's no different than if you had central locking and a douche nearby (but significantly further away than keyless access and start) to intercept it as you lock/unlock it. Risk of this actually happening to you is so slim, it's not an issue in real life.

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