Hyundai offers free steering locks to combat TikTok thefts

The South Korean carmaker said engine immobilisers have been standard on all Hyundai and Kia cars since November 2021. A free software upgrade to prevent the method of theft involved in the viral videos has been rolled out to one million customers, and a further three million drivers will be eligible for the upgrade in coming weeks, Hyundai said in a statement Friday. — Unsplash

Hyundai Motor Co will distribute free steering-wheel locks in the US and upgrade anti-theft software on four million vehicles after a spate of TikTok-inspired car thefts.

The viral videos target Hyundais and Kias that lack an electronic-security feature – called an engine immobiliser – that keeps the car from being started without a key. So far this year, New York police have arrested 109 suspects for thefts of certain models of Kia and Hyundai cars.