SAN ANTONIO – New research from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) shows that theft rates for Hyundai and Kia vehicles sold without electronic immobilizers and received a software upgrade to prevent potential thieves from stealing were cut by more than half.
Companies began offering a software upgrade in February 2023 after a social media trend showing how someone could steal Kias and Hyundais went viral. The upgrade only allowed the vehicles to start if the owner’s key or an identical duplicate was in the ignition.
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The campaign also added a sticker to vehicles that had received the software upgrade to help deter thieves, according to HLDI.
How many were upgraded?
Nearly two dozen Hyundai and Kia models from 2011 to 2022 were eligible for the software update.
The report shows theft claim frequencies for upgraded Hyundais was 55% lower than those that weren’t upgraded, and a 51% reduction for upgraded Kia vehicles compared to those that weren’t.
Combined, the vehicles had theft claim frequencies that were 53% lower than those that didn’t get the upgrade, according to HDLI.
“The anti-theft software upgrade also contributed to reductions in whole vehicle theft claim frequency. However, vandalism claim frequency increased for Hyundai–Kia vehicles that have been upgraded, likely due to failed theft attempts,” the report stated.
Whole vehicle theft claims, which HLDI calculates by matching the cost of the claim to the amount insurers pay for the same model if it’s totaled in a crash, fell by 64% for vehicles with the upgrade, according to HLDI.
How many vehicles were eligible?
HLDI’s database shows that only 30% of eligible Hyundais and 28% of eligible Kias received the upgrade as of December 2023. However, its data only studied a period that ended in December 2023.
Hyundai and Kia have continued upgrading vehicles, and the two automakers claim approximately 60% of eligible vehicles have been upgraded as of mid-July 2024.
Software upgrade/vandalism increases
“The companies’ solution is extremely effective,” said Matt Moore, senior vice president of HLDI. “If you own a Hyundai or Kia vehicle without an electronic immobilizer, you should call your local dealer about getting the software upgrade today.”
HLDI reports the software upgrade only works if the driver remembers to lock their vehicle with a fob, while many people usually lock their doors with the button on the vehicle’s door handle.
“In addition, thieves who are thwarted by the software upgrade may be stealing other items from inside the vehicle,” the HLDI report said.
The report notes that vandalism claims were more common for those vehicles with the software upgrade than those without it.
The 61% increase in vandalism claim frequency, compared to vehicles that hadn’t received the upgrade, was almost equivalent to the decrease in whole theft claims. But the monetary cost of vandalism is much lower, according to the report.
“Based on these trends, we expect claim rates for Hyundai and Kia vehicles to gradually drop back in line with those of other brands, as thieves learn they’re no longer so easy to steal and the fad gets stale,” Moore said.
Read more in the report below:
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