Kia and Hyundai’s anti-theft software update appears to be working fine

The Kia Boys may have met their rival.

Automakers first began implementing the update in February 2023 in response to a wave of car thefts that began during the Covid pandemic, when instructional videos on how to steal cars first began spreading on TikTok and other social media platforms.

Thieves calling themselves the “Kia Boys” have been posting instructional videos on how to bypass vehicle security systems using simple tools like a USB cable. About 9 million vehicles have been affected, including the Hyundai Elantra and Sonata, as well as the Kia Fortis and Soul. The automakers agreed to a $200 million settlement with vehicle owners last year.

The thefts are said to be easy to pull off because many Hyundai and Kia vehicles manufactured between 2015 and 2019 lack electronic immobilizers that prevent would-be thieves from simply breaking into the vehicle and bypassing the ignition. The advantage is Standard equipment in almost all vehicles. From the same period as other manufacturers.

According to the HLDI database, an estimated 30% of eligible Hyundai vehicles and 28% of eligible Kia vehicles have received software updates. But the institute’s analysis ends in December 2023, and automakers claim that nearly 60% of eligible vehicles have been updated since then.

The update aims to deter theft by extending the alarm’s duration from 30 seconds to one minute and requiring a key in the ignition to start the car – essentially acting as a software-based immobilizer.

So far, the system seems to be working. HLDI says theft claims were 53 percent lower for vehicles that received the upgrade than for those that did not. Total vehicle theft rates dropped even more dramatically after the upgrade, by 64 percent.

But theft rates for Hyundai and Kia vehicles remain “elevated” compared to other brands, the institute says — even for updated models. The group says the theft claims rate for Hyundai and Kia models in the second half of 2023 “was more than 11 times higher than in the first half of 2020 and more than 8 times the theft claims rate for July-December 2023 for other brands.”

One possible reason HLDI cited is that the software-based immobilizer system is only activated if the driver remembers to lock the car with the remote control key, whereas many people are used to using the key on the door handle.

Vandalism claims also remain high for Hyundai and Kia owners, with would-be thieves breaking into vehicles, stealing items and damaging the interior after finding themselves frustrated with a software update.