Viral challenge forces Kia-Hyundai to release anti-theft software update

A challenge that went viral on Tiktok has caused widespread theft of certain Kia and Hyundai models resulting in 14 accidents and eight deaths in the US. The two car brands are now addressing the security weaknesses with steering wheel locks and anti-theft software updates.

Made between 2011-2019, the vehicles under attack have no push-start button or electronic immobiliser, meaning they can be hot-wired using USB cables and screwdrivers. The method of the theft made it to the viral video platform and led to a significant increase in thefts across the country.

The sister Korean brands are now addressing the matter with a staggered plan of security patches and some 26,000 steering wheel locks. Affecting 4.5 million Kia owners and 3.8 million Hyundai drivers - who are also facing difficulties with their insurance policies - the first phase of updates for notified models has been completed.

The second phase, due in June, will be applied to affected models listed in full on Hyundai’s anti-theft website. Hyundai and Kia customers are being contacted and invited to attend their local dealerships.

The software update modifies the vehicle control module, so the key fob will activate a factory alarm and ‘ignition kill’ feature which can only be deactivated by the same key fob. Upon completion, each remedied vehicle will receive a window decal to deter any would-be thief.

The ‘Kia Challenge’ first hit social media in May 2022. By September 2022 some Californian drivers affected by the theft filed a class action law suit, furious with Kia and Hyundai’s lack of response. According to reports from CNBC, police authorities in Florida reported that a third of their car thefts were directly linked to the viral challenge and in Chicago, the police department said thefts of Kia and Hyundai models had gone up 767 per cent in July 2022, showing the scale of the issue.