Causing an explosive growth in car theft cases, accusing their cars of being too easy to steal, New York City sued Hyundai and Kia for theft | theft | United States | vehicles | cars | New York | Hyundai | Kia
Jimu News reporter Chen Jun
According to reports from FT and Reuters on the 7th, the legal department of New York City stated that the city is suing Hyundai Motor and its affiliated company Kia Motors, accusing them of dereliction of duty and public harm caused by the "almost explosive growth" of car theft incidents due to a lack of anti-theft devices.
According to reports, on June 6th, the New York City government sued Hyundai and Kia Motors in a Manhattan court, demanding compensation and punitive damages from Hyundai and Kia, but did not specify the amount. In addition to New York, several cities in the United States, including Cleveland, Seattle, and Baltimore, have similar lawsuits.
![Causing an explosive growth in car theft cases, accusing their cars of being too easy to steal, New York City sued Hyundai and Kia for theft | theft | United States | vehicles | cars | New York | Hyundai | Kia](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/bd518703b288ba9c00ff32b6396a89cd.jpg)
The New York City government alleges that most of the cars produced by Hyundai and Kia between 2011 and 2022 were not equipped with anti-theft locks, making them targets of criminals and leading to numerous cases of theft, dangerous driving, and public safety violations.
According to data from the New York City Police Department, Kia and Hyundai theft cases increased by 890% and 766% respectively, but car dealers refused to equip certain models with standard anti-theft measures. As of March 26th, the total number of stolen Kia and Hyundai vehicles in New York City was 633, compared to 111 in the same period last year, with most of the theft occurring in the Bronx and the North Side of Manhattan.
Car theft video
![Causing an explosive growth in car theft cases, accusing their cars of being too easy to steal, New York City sued Hyundai and Kia for theft | theft | United States | vehicles | cars | New York | Hyundai | Kia](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/8d7e4712053520d99a696e8c9081a680.jpg)
Behind the surge in car theft is the chaos spread by social media. On video platforms, a large number of videos have revealed defects in the ignition systems of Kia and modern vehicles produced between 2011 and 2021. This action, known as the "Kia Boy Challenge," has encouraged netizens to illegally start and steal these vehicles.
The New York City official stated that car dealers have turned a blind eye to safety issues and will hold Kia and Hyundai companies accountable to maintain public order and protect the safety of citizens' property.
Car owners in the United States have collectively sued these two car manufacturers, alleging that the vehicles were not equipped with anti-theft devices during manufacturing. Lawyers from both sides stated on May 18th that a $200 million settlement agreement has been reached, covering approximately 9 million American car owners.
![Causing an explosive growth in car theft cases, accusing their cars of being too easy to steal, New York City sued Hyundai and Kia for theft | theft | United States | vehicles | cars | New York | Hyundai | Kia](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/f6dcb0d065dbea6ff1ab28ab0d04302d.jpg)
Hyundai and Kia expressed in February their willingness to provide software upgrades for 8.3 million American cars without anti-theft devices to curb increasing car theft. According to the settlement agreement, customers who are unable to upgrade their security software will receive a maximum of $300 to purchase other anti-theft devices.