Hyundai and Kia will pay $200 million because their cars are so easy to steal

Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia are compensating owners affected by a wave of car thefts. Unfortunately they did not have soundproofing equipment. So it was very easy to steal them, especially since the thing has gone thanks to social networks.

A major settlement has been reached in a class-action lawsuit pitting automakers Hyundai and Kia against owners whose cars were stolen in a nationwide series of thefts across the United States. The two Korean companies have agreed to pay a whopping $200 million to settle the case..

Less than 90 seconds to fly models of both brands

Filed last August, the complaint alleged that Kia and Hyundai sold vehicle models from 2011 to 2022 that did not have the controls. So thieves could easily steal them without inserting the car key.. An explanatory video was posted on Tik Tok. It actually started the “Kia Challenge” trend, where thieves stole millions of Kia and Hyundai cars in less than 90 seconds..

“Our goal in completing this settlement was to leave no one in the dark”said Steve Berman of Hagens Berman in Seattle. “Owners of these vehicles have suffered enough damage, and we have worked hard to find a settlement that covers many types of losses, from those who were lucky enough to never have their vehicle stolen, to those whose vehicles were completely destroyed due to the negligence of Hyundai and Kia. “

The lock is distributed

This solution is part of the measures taken by Kia to resolve the issue, including “providing free security software updates and distribution of over 65,000 steering wheel locks”said John Yoon, Kia America’s chief legal officer.

Any owner whose vehicle is not compatible with the software update will be able to purchase another anti-theft device and will be reimbursed up to $300 by Kia or Hyundai. Korean automakers have also sent tens of thousands of locks to owners free of charge to help prevent theft.