New York City Files Lawsuit Against Hyundai And Kia Over The Rise Of Vehicle Theft Cases

JAKARTA - The city of New York (NYC) officially sued Hyundai and Kia on Tuesday, June 7, on charges of negligence and creating public interference with the ease of their stolen vehicles. It is known, the theft of Hyundai and Kia vehicles has more than doubled in NYC in 2022.

The announcement saw New York join a number of other major cities in the United States including Cleveland, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Seattle, and San Diego, which are currently taking legal action against Hyundai and Kia.

This lawsuit comes after the popular TikTok trend highlighted the Hyundai or Kia product theft process, which is claimed to be done only with USB cables. The theft of this product skyrocketed across the country. as a result, insurance companies in several states threaten to stop coverage for these brands due to frequent claims. New York officials believe this has led to increased vehicle theft, reckless driving, and crime waves in the city.

According to a Reuters report, Tuesday, June 7, New York City specifically noted that Hyundai and Kia failed to install anti-stealing devices known as immobilizers on most of their vehicles produced between 2011 and 2022. This is a very unusual behavior in the automotive industry in general, which the city emphasizes in complaints at Manhattan federal courts.

However, it is important to note that there are no federal guidelines requiring the use of immobilizers. Although automotive manufacturers have largely adopted this practice for a long time, it is also common for vehicles at low prices not to be equipped with anti-stealing devices.

"Hyundai and Kia's business decisions to reduce costs, and thereby increase profits, by leaving behind common anti-stealing technologies have resulted in an epidemic of theft," the lawsuit was filed.

This lawsuit is a major focus in the automotive industry and will be a concern to determine the responsibility of manufacturers and the impact of the increasing trend of vehicle theft. The city of New York hopes that by taking this legal step, they can overcome the problem of vehicle theft that is troubling residents, insurance companies, and improving security in the city.

In February, Hyundai and Kia announced plans to improve software in as many as 8.3 million cars without an immobilizer system. But that doesn't rule out concerns, with a $200 million class action settlement signed last month over the issue.