Settlement administration firm Angeion Group has announced a settlement has been reached in a product liability class action lawsuit concerning Hyundai car theft vulnerabilities.
The California lawsuit alleges certain 2011-2022 model year Hyundai vehicles contain design flaws, including the failure to manufacture the class vehicles with an anti-theft device called an engine immobiliser, that make them susceptible to theft and damage.
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The settling defendants have agreed to the establishment of a common fund of at least $80,000,000 and up to $145,000,000 for the payment of approved claims for certain out-of-pocket, uncompensated losses incurred as a result of a qualifying theft or qualifying theft attempt.
Angeion Group also says that a software upgrade that will prevent vehicles locked with a key or key fob from starting without the key being present is available for certain class vehicles.
The software upgrade will be performed at no cost on all eligible class vehicles brought to an authorised Hyundai dealership without need for request by the class member.
Last year Hyundai-Kia agreed to a $200m settlement over ‘TikTok challenge’ car thefts, named after the video sharing platform, where users reportedly shared videos on how to break into vehicles.
The vehicles involved were vulnerable as they did not have electronic immobilisers, a device which prevents vehicles from being started unless a code is transmitted via the vehicle’s smart key.
