Hyundai and Kia cars in the US have been specifically targeted by thieves after a security flaw was exposed on TikTok
The flaw or bug pertains to the 'turn-key-to-start' function to bypass engine immobiliser
While Hyundai and Kia have released a software update to prevent this, it does not seem to have clamped theft cases
Safety authorities say the companies' software rollout has been far too slow - 5% of all Kia cars in the US and 6% of all Hyundai cars here
Some US cities have reported that 60% or more of their auto theft reports now involve Hyundais or Kias
Videos on TikTok and other sites illustrate how to start and steal Kia and Hyundai models — using only a screwdriver and a USB cable