Hyundai and Kia have agreed to a $200million (£161million) settlement to drivers after a car stealing challenge went viral on TikTok. The 'Kia Challenge' on the social media app led to hundreds of car thefts across the United States, resulting in at least 14 reported crashes and eight fatalities, according to government data.
Thieves, who dubbed themselves as 'The Kia Boyz', posted videos on TikTok and YouTube demonstrating step-by-step instructions for bypassing vehicle security systems using basic tools like a USB cable. Theft of many Hyundai and Kia vehicles were easy due to their cars manufactured between 2015-2019 lacking electronic immobilisers.
This would have prevented thieves from simply breaking in and bypassing the ignition. Nearly all vehicles from major manufacturers of the same period had the technology as standard. Just last year, the carmakers said they would charge owners at least $170 (£136) for security kits to fix the issue, but soon climbed down.
