A UCLA study says the wave of Hyundai and Kia thefts tied to the so-called Kia Boys trend is likely to remain a problem in the Los Angeles area through at least 2042. The findings were published in the International Journal of Forecasting and point to theft levels staying well above normal for years to come.
Researchers said the trend, which spread nationally around 2020, has been fueled by certain 2010-2022 models that lack engine immobilizers, a security device that helps prevent a car from being started without the proper key. The study projects that thefts will not fall to a minimal level until sometime between 2043 and 2050, when many of the vulnerable vehicles are expected to have largely left the road.
The article says the vehicles can be started with tools as simple as a USB cable or flathead screwdriver, in contrast with many other automakers that made immobilizers standard during the same period. It also notes that engine immobilizers are not yet required by law in the United States, although they have long been mandatory in countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada.
Hyundai and Kia reached a $200 million settlement in May 2023 in a class-action lawsuit involving about 9 million vehicle owners. The companies have also faced broader national scrutiny over thefts linked to social media videos that showed how easy some of the vehicles were to steal.
Source: KTLA
