By: Richard L. Smith
City officials announced that Newark has become part of a coalition of 20 cities, including Chicago, Milwaukee, and New York, in a legal challenge against car manufacturers Kia and Hyundai.
The lawsuit accuses the automakers of deliberately omitting engine immobilizers from their vehicles between 2011 and 2021, a decision that has led to a dramatic increase in car thefts.
Engine immobilizers, a standard anti-theft technology in most cars, make vehicles more difficult to steal.
Newark alleges that the absence of this technology in Kia and Hyundai cars has resulted in a staggering 1,246% rise in thefts of these vehicles from 2022 to 2023, contributing to a spike in associated violent crimes such as reckless driving and armed robbery.
The city's legal complaint highlights that Kia and Hyundai were aware of the security vulnerabilities, especially after they were exposed by a viral TikTok video in early 2022.
Despite recognizing a sharp increase in vehicle thefts, the companies have failed to take adequate action to address the issue, placing an undue burden on vehicle owners, local law enforcement, and the city's resources.
Mayor Baraka criticized Kia and Hyundai for their negligence and indifference, especially as their vehicles are often used by low-income workers.
"If Newark doesn’t defend itself against these huge corporations, no one will," he stated, underscoring the city's determination to stand with other municipalities affected by this issue.
Newark Corporation Counsel Kenyatta Stewart condemned the automakers for not providing necessary anti-theft devices, such as steering wheel locks and transponder chips, accusing them of further exploiting the crisis by selling theft security kits to consumers.
The lawsuit seeks to hold Kia and Hyundai accountable for fraud, negligence, deceptive marketing, selling defective products, unjust enrichment, and creating a public nuisance.
It also aims to recover the extensive costs incurred by the city in combating the surge in auto thefts, which have necessitated over 19,824 hours of police overtime, amounting to more than $1 million in the first 10 months of 2023 alone.
This legal action follows a distressing trend in Newark and other cities, where the exposure of a security flaw in Kia and Hyundai vehicles on social media has led to an exponential rise in car thefts, putting public safety at risk and straining city resources.