For millions of Hyundai and KIA car owners, software updating has been produced throughout the United States to stop the fatal Tiktok-Chenge, which has got out of control.
It all started back in 2021, when adolescents, known as Kia Boys, began to publish teaching videos showing the audience how to get around the vehicle security system and make cars using only a screwdriver and a USB cable. Racking literally all Kia and Hyundai cars, produced from 2015 to 2019, without button ignition and immobilizing anti -theft devices.
In these brands of cars of those years, there are no electronic immobilizers that prevent hacking and bypassing the ignition system. However, this function is standard for almost all cars of other brands produced in the same period.
The so -called “Kia Challenge” was launched in the middle of last year with the same gang of teenagers from the American city of Miluoi, Wisconsin. As one of the Tiktok users described, the challenge task is to simply hide one of the Hyundai or KIA cars, and then publish video evidence in Tiktok.
“Kia Challenge”, like many other Tiktok Cellengi, began in a joke format, but ultimately became a serious problem for local residents. According to the US National District Safety Administration (NABDD), viral challenge led “to at least 14 accidents and 8 fatal outcomes.” Not to mention the fact that thousands of Kia and Hyundai cars were stolen throughout the United States since the emergency of the ill -fated video.
According to the statement of the aforementioned automakers in conjunction with the NABDD, security renewing, eliminating the vulnerability demonstrated in Tiktok, was finally released. It is available for 3.8 million Hyundai cars and 4.5 million KIA cars in the United States.
Updated software increases the duration of the sound alarm from 30 seconds to a minute and does not allow you to start a car without an inserted ignition key.
According to American insurance companies, the number of claims for Hyundai and KIA car insurance from 2015 to 2019 was almost twice as high as all other automakers in the same years. Some companies completely refuse to issue an insurance policy for Hyundai and Kia cars due to an increased risk of hacking them.