A Hyundai car sits in the parking lot of East Bay Tow Inc., where California Attorney General Rob Bonta held a news conference on Thursday.
Terry Chea/AP
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Terry Chea/AP
A Hyundai car sits in the parking lot of East Bay Tow Inc., where California Attorney General Rob Bonta held a news conference on Thursday.
Terry Chea/AP
Some Hyundai and Kia vehicles lack basic security features and should be recalled, as a growing number of thefts have created a “safety crisis” on roads across the United States, a group said. state attorney said.
Letter sent by the attorney generals of 17 states and the District of Columbia to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Thursday calling on the federal government to step in to prevent a national problem it says is is continuing to increase.
“These thefts of Hyundai and Kia vehicles have resulted in at least eight deaths, numerous injuries and property damage, and they have diverted vital police and emergency services resources away from their priorities. another first,” wrote the AGs.
“We urge NHTSA to exercise its authority to order a mandatory recall or to ensure Hyundai and Kia conduct a voluntary recall.”
According to the letter, a thief could easily ignite certain Hyundai and Kia vehicles manufactured between 2011 and 2022 by removing the steering wheel cover and twisting the ignition with a USB cable. These vehicles also lack an engine immobilizer, which prevents the car from starting unless an electronic signal is received from the key.
These specific vulnerabilities become more widely used as of 2021 after some TikTok user posted a video of this technique to social networks.
Federal governing body says About 3.8 million Hyundai and 4.5 million Kia vehicles are affected.
The theft of Hyundai and Kia cars has broken out in recent times. Los Angeles saw a 85% increase in thefts from Hyundai and Kia in 2022, while Minneapolis said it has witnessed thefts by the two firms. up 836% last year.
The perpetrators, often minors, drive recklessly and sometimes cause accidents, the attorney general said, and being involved in both thefts and collisions diverts law enforcement and law enforcement resources. emergency response from other needs.
“Kia and Hyundai’s failure to install standard safety features on many of their vehicles puts vehicle owners at risk,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. said in a tweet. “It is unacceptable for our community to be forced to bear the cost of the failures of Kia and Hyundai.”
NHTSA and Kia did not immediately respond to NPR’s request for comment on Sunday.
In an emailed statement to NPR, Hyundai said it was “committed to ensuring the quality and integrity of its products” and outlined some of the measures it has taken in response to the incidents. theft, including making the engine immobilizer standard available on all vehicles starting November 2021, and refunding customers for steering wheel locks. Hyundai also said it has partnered with insurance companies AAA to Insurance for affected vehicles in most states.
In February, Hyundai and Kia announced along with federal regulators that they would begin offering free software upgrades to millions of vehicles without immobilizers in the coming months. Hyundai said Sunday that the software upgrade for the affected vehicles is now available at all Hyundai dealers.
However, the attorney general said the software patch would not be enough because it may not work for all affected vehicles and does not come with the same legal requirements for companies that the recall performed.
A larger group of lawyers in general wrote to Hyundai and Kia last monthurged the company to take “swift and comprehensive action” to deal with the thefts.
