hyundai And that released a software update to address a critical theft vulnerability exposed by a small group of criminals on TikTok.
More than four million Kia and Hyundai vehicles have been posted by a group in the US calling themselves the Kia Boys with instructions on how to steal some 2011-22 Kia and Hyundai vehicles with just a USB cable.
However, this vulnerability does not appear on vehicles destined for the Australian market, as our government has made immobilizers mandatory on all new vehicles from 1 July 2001. This feature is now standard on all Hyundai and Kia models for the U.S. market starting in 2022.
Hyundai and Kia have confirmed they will have a software update for most vehicles that lack immobilizers, and plan to roll out the update starting with their most popular models.
The software update will include an alarm extension time from 30 seconds to one minute and will require the key to be inserted into the ignition switch to start the vehicle.
Hyundai says it will only take an hour for the dealer to perform the update, and once it’s done, owners will receive a window sticker to keep potential thieves out.
The first models to receive the software update are the 2017-20 Elantra, 2015-2019 Sonata, and 2020-21 Venue, and Hyundai is working on the update for other affected vehicles including Palisade models, Santa Fe and Tucson with installation to begin sometime in June 2023.
Kia will begin rolling out updates this month and will also follow a phased approach.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is encouraging owners of affected vehicles between 2011 and 2022 to contact their local police department to obtain a steering wheel lock from their source. restrictions that Hyundai and Kia have sponsored.
If one of the 26,000 wheel locks that Hyundai and Kia donated to local police is not available, Hyundai will also refund customers who purchase a brand new steering wheel lock until a software update can be applied. .
According to NHTSA, the viral trend has so far seen 14 reported crashes and eight theft deaths.
Earlier this month, the Colorado Springs Police Department announced several youth charges in connection with stolen vehicles, while in Chicago, three 13-year-old boys were arrested after a fatal crash involving stolen vehicles. regarding a stolen Kia.
Basically, this method is nothing more than using the cuffed end of the USB cable as a temporary outlet to turn on the ignition and override the security after smashing the plastic surrounding the steering column.
It still requires criminals to find a vehicle with an open door or smash a window to get inside. This method does not circumvent alarm systems or aftermarket immobilizers, however, thieves are able to avoid setting factory alarms by climbing into windows instead of opening them.
