A CAR manufacturer is offering drivers a free upgrade after a TikTok challenge left millions of cars susceptible to theft. Kia is hosting events to upgrade older models and strengthen car anti-theft measures. In late 2020 and early 2021, a TikTok trend called "the Kia Boys" galvanized hundreds of underage social media personalities to hack Kia ignitions and steal cars.
Dozens of Kia drivers were targeted in the crimes, as underage drivers took the vehicles for joyrides. Some of the rides ended in nasty, fatal accidents. "We [were] looking at primarily 14, 15, and 16-year-olds that learned how to steal Kias," the company's spokesperson, James Bell, told California-based Fox affiliate KMPH .
Bell said the children gained access to the car "by breaking the window, tearing apart the steering column, and then using a USB cord or a screwdriver to then start the vehicle." The company said it is offering drivers a solution to the theft issue. On May 31, Kia opened a pop-up maintenance center in Fresno, California's Fashion Fair Mall, to implement a new tech feature that will prevent thefts.
"As soon as we learned about this, we went to our engineers in Korea, and they crafted a fantastic theft-deterrent software upgrade," Bell said. Bell said the tech works as an "immobilizer" that overrides the manual turns on the ignition. "We're glad to have this event going on this weekend to help make a dent in this issue," Bell added.
Kia said over 1.2 million cars are eligible for the free upg.