Hyundai Sets Up US Clinics for Anti-Theft Software Upgrades Amid Rising Theft Rates

Mobile Clinics to Run through End of November in Five Major Cities; Upgrade Addresses Missing Engine Immobilizers in Specific Hyundai Models from 2011-2022 Found to be Vulnerable to Thefts

Hyundai is setting up mobile clinics in five major US cities - New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Rochester - to offer anti-theft software upgrades for specific models from 2011-2022 found to be vulnerable to thefts.
The South Korean automaker's initiative comes in response to rising theft rates of these models due to the absence of engine immobilizers, an essential anti-theft technology present in other brands.
Theft of these Hyundai models has been exacerbated by a technique popularized on social media platforms like TikTok.
The affected Hyundai models include the 2011-2022 Elantra, 2013-2020 Elantra GT, 2018-2022 Accent and Kona, 2020-2021 Palisade and Venue, and several models of the Sonata, Tucson, Genesis Coupe, and Santa Fe manufactured between 2011 and 2022.
Despite being impacted by lawsuits due to the vulnerability, Hyundai has moved to assist customers through these free software upgrade mobile clinics, which will run for two to three days on or adjacent to weekends from October 28 to November 18, 2023.