London Daily

Focus on the big picture.

Kia and Hyundai settle $200M class-action lawsuit over TikTok challenge thefts

Kia and Hyundai settle $200M class-action lawsuit over TikTok challenge thefts

Owners will get security software updates and reimbursement for losses
Kia and Hyundai settled a $200 million consumer class-action lawsuit brought against the automakers due to a crime wave targeting their models.

The corporate cousins sold approximately 9 million vehicles in the U.S. since 2011 that were not equipped with ignition immobilizers, making them easy to steal through a method that has spread on TikTok and other social media platforms over the past year.

Tens of thousands of the vehicles have been stolen and theft rates have been rising in some cities this year, even as the automakers and law enforcement have taken new measures to counter them.

"The settlement will provide benefits as soon as possible to those who have suffered out-of-pocket losses," Steve Berman, a lawyer representing owners, said.

Kia and Hyundai will provide a free security software update for eligible vehicles that addresses the vulnerability and will pay owners of models that are not compatible with the feature $300 to purchase aftermarket security equipment.

The settlement also includes payments up to $6,125 to cover total losses of stolen vehicles and up to $3,375 for damage to the vehicle and personal property, plus additional reimbursement for other expenses.

"We appreciate the opportunity to provide additional support for our owners who have been impacted by increasing and persistent criminal activity targeting our vehicles," Jason Erb, Hyundai Motor North America chief legal officer, said in a news release.

"Customer security remains a top priority, and we’re committed to continuing software upgrade installations and steering wheel lock distribution to help prevent thefts and offering insurance options through AAA for those who have had difficulty securing and sustaining coverage."

"Kia is very pleased that today’s announcement will allow customers who have been impacted by vehicle thefts to receive additional benefits," John Yoon, Kia American chief legal officer, said.

Kia and Hyundai are still facing lawsuits from several cities including Baltimore, St. Louis, and San Diego.
Newsletter

Related Articles

London Daily
0:00
0:00
Close
CIA and MI6 Chiefs Unite Amid Global Crises
UK Tycoon Mike Lynch's Cause of Death Revealed: Autopsy Report
Mass Protests Erupt Across France Against New Prime Minister Barnier
Iranian Plots to Kill Jews in Europe Unveiled
Huawei Poised for Major AI Chip Unveil at Shenzhen Event
Nvidia’s AI chips are cheaper to rent in China than US
China ends tariffs on all goods exported to China from the poorest countries in the world it has diplomatic ties with, including 33 African nations
Blinken May Not Seek Another Term Due To Family Priorities
Labour Pushes for Special Tribunal Against Russia for Ukraine Invasion
Oil Companies to Contest Judicial Review of North Sea Projects
Ed Balls Urges Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves to Address Winter Fuel Payments Controversy
British Army Major General Dismissed for Unwanted Advances
Campaigners Urge Bold Actions to Combat Rising Heart Disease in UK
UK Requires One Trillion Pounds Investment for Economic Growth
Plan to House Asylum Seekers at Former Dambusters Home Dropped
UK Drops Indecent Assault Charges Against Harvey Weinstein
Return of Brazilian Artworks to Bahia
UK Signs Landmark International AI Treaty
Demand for Justice After Death of Ugandan Runner Set on Fire
Ukraine's Major Government Reshuffle: Andrii Sybiha Appointed New Foreign Minister
North Korea Executes Officials Over Flood Response
French Woman Testifies in Landmark Rape Trial
Sicily Yacht Disaster: Fatal Asphyxiation Claimed More Lives
Michel Barnier Appointed as Prime Minister of France
The art technique of Grandma Mei Ling, age 82
Mongolia Refuses to Arrest Putin Despite ICC Warrant
UK State Pension to Increase by Over £400 Annually
Amazon Announces 10% Pay Increase for UK Workers
Grenfell Tower Fire Inquiry Demands Swift Justice
French Police Clear Migrant Camp Near Calais
New Law Proposes Jail Time for Covering Up Sewage Dumping in England and Wales
John Swinney's Government Programme Faces Criticism in Scotland
France Pilots Mobile Phone Ban in Schools
Priti Patel Eliminated in First Round of Tory Leadership Race
And Justice for ALL: Elon Musk threatens to go after Brazilian government assets
WHO-Led Study Finds No Link Between Mobile Phones and Brain Cancer
US Charges Hamas Leaders With Terrorism Over October 7 Attack on Israel
Russian Missile Strike Kills 49 in Poltava, Ukraine
Major Cabinet Resignations in Ukraine
Tory Leadership Candidates Criticize Rivals' Promises to Leave ECHR
Campaigners Propose Pay-Per-Mile Charge for UK Electric Cars
Labour Urged to Shift Asylum Policy Rhetoric
Hossein Shamkhani: The Rise of an Oil Tycoon
Putin Defies ICC Arrest Warrant with Mongolia Visit
Frenchman On Trial for Decade-long Abuse of Drugged Wife
The British bus driver explains to usual suspects that they cannot travel without a ticket. Education is important.
Irish Police Arrest Enoch Burke, the teacher who refuses to endorse and affirm transgender ideology
US Soldier Attacked in Turkey
Switzerland Urged to Reconsider Its 500-Year Neutrality
AfD's Historic Victory in Thuringia State Election, Germany
×