New York City joined several cities and states in suing South Korean car makers Kia and Hyundai over allegations that the vehicles are too easy to steal.
In a filing to the Southern District of New York, the city complained that its law enforcement resources had been stretched to the brink due to an explosion in Kia and Hyundai thefts. The lawsuit claimed that the companies knowingly cut costs on anti-theft technology in order to boost profits.
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“Hyundai’s and Kia’s business decisions to reduce costs, and thereby boost profits, by foregoing common anti-theft technology have resulted in an epidemic of thefts,” the lawsuit read.
Some models sold by the company in the United States come without engine immobilizers, a common anti-theft feature that has been an industry standard since the 1990s. The device prevents a car’s engine from starting without the main key, which contains a device that is needed to send a signal approving the engine’s ignition.
The introduction of engine immobilizers in 1992 is directly correlated with a decline in vehicle thefts. Hyundai and Kia’s failure to put the device in many of its models has led to a drastic increase in thefts in recent months after viral videos on social media showed people how to steal these vehicles with just a screwdriver and USB cable.
“As the videos detailed, a thief need only remove the plastic cowl under the steering column and use a USB cable to start these unsecure cars,” New York City said in the lawsuit. “What followed was all too predictable: Thefts of Kias and Hyundais skyrocketed.”
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The lawsuit reported that despite making up just 2.9% of registered cars, Hyundais and Kias made up 19.3% of all reported car thefts in 2023, the Wall Street Journal reported. In the first four months of 2023, the city experienced a roughly 660% increase in Hyundai and Kia thefts when compared to the same period the previous year.
The two car companies settled a class action lawsuit last month over the thefts, paying $200 million to affected customers.
