WHEREAS, The car manufacturers Kia and Hyundai did not install industry-standard engine immobilizer technology on certain models between 2011 and 2022; and
WHEREAS, Vehicles with this vulnerability can be easily stolen using a universal serial bus (USB) cable and screwdriver in minutes, and instructional videos on how to do so have spread widely on TikTok and other social media platforms; and
WHEREAS, This vulnerability has allowed youth under the age of 16 and unlicensed drivers to access Kia and Hyundai vehicles and drive recklessly; and
WHEREAS, Earlier this year, Kia and Hyundai offered free software updates to address this vulnerability; however, not all impacted vehicles are able to receive these software upgrades; and
WHEREAS, Unlike voluntary software upgrades, a recall includes mailed notification to all impacted vehicle owners and the opportunity for a dealer to buy back a vehicle that cannot be repaired; and
WHEREAS, Car thefts overall have more than doubled in Philadelphia between 2019 and 2022, with Kia and Hyundai thefts far outpacing other brands. While most brands saw increases averaging 100%, Kia thefts increased by almost 800% and Hyundai thefts increased by more than 400%; and
WHEREAS, Throughout 2022, a total of 1,305 Kia vehicles and 1,285 Hyundai vehicles were stolen in Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, In 2023, the total number of Philadelphia car thefts is expected to shatter all previous records. More than half of these thefts have been Kia and Hyundai vehicles; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, calls on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue a recall of Kia and Hyundai models lacking immobilizer technology that are vulnerable to theft.
End