Hyundai Tells UK Car Owners to Pay for Needed Anti-Theft Update
Hyundai has decided to ask its Ioniq 5 electric car owners in the UK to pay for a key security fix. This £49 ($65) charge is for a fix that deals with a big flaw in the keyless entry system, which has made the theft of Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis cars go up.
The Flaw How Thieves Get In
This flaw hits a few well-liked electric models, like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Genesis GV60. Thieves are using a high-tech tool, often said to look like a Game Boy.
- The tool grabs the signal when someone touches a car's door handle.
- It then cracks the wireless code.
- At last, it sends a fake answer to the car, letting it be opened and turned on.
This way has worked, making the Hyundai Ioniq and Kia EV6 some of the top stolen cars in the UK by 2024. While the hacking tool costs a lot, about €20,000 in Europe, it has been used for a long time to get into cars with keyless entries from many makes, like Nissan and Mitsubishi.
A Paid Fix for a Maker's Mistake
Hyundai's update has both software and hardware changes to stop these thefts. But, making customers pay for what many see as a needed security fix has started a lot of talks. This choice puts the cost of fixing a make's flaw right on the car owner.
For now, this paid fix is just for UK customers, which leaves car owners in other places unsure about their car's safety. This issue brings up a big question in today's car world as cars use more software, who should pay to keep them safe from new threats.
