Hyundai and Kia are rolling out “theft deterrent software” for millions of car owners in the United States amid reports that a viral social media trend has led to an increase in thefts of its vehicles that lack push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft devices.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a statement on Tuesday that the effort is in response to a TikTok challenge that has spread nationwide and “has resulted in at least 14 reported crashes and eight fatalities.”
