Hyundai, Kia Offer Software Upgrade to 8.3 million Vehicles to Prevent Thefts

 WASHINGTON, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor and Kia Corp. will offer software upgrades to 8.3 million U.S. vehicles to help curb increasing car thefts using a method popularized on TikTok and other social media channels, the Korean automakers said on Tuesday. 

TikTok videos showing how to steal cars made from 2015 to 2019 without push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft devices has spread nationwide. This had led to at least 14 reported crashes and eight fatalities,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said. 

Read the entire article.  Insurance Journal, by David Shepardson (Reuters), February 15, 2023