Newark has joined 19 other cities nationwide, including New York, in suing the automakers Kia and Hyundai for intentionally failing to include engine immobilizers in their vehicles from 2011 to 2021.

An engine immobilizer is anti-theft technology that makes a car more difficult to steal. Newark’s lawsuit aims to hold the automakers accountable for the steep rise in Kia and Hyundai thefts that saw more than 1,200% increase between 2022 and 2023—and in turn resulting in more violent crime.

“These two colossal automakers have failed to remedy their misconduct, refusing to provide the steering wheel locks and transponder chips demanded by the other suing cities,” said Newark Corporation Counsel Kenyatta Stewart.

Newark police says more than 19,000 overtime hours were used to address this car theft surge in the first 10 months of 2023. That amounted to more than $1 million in overtime cost. City officials say they want that money reimbursed from Kia and Hyundai.

The suit alleges all other car manufacturers made this a standard feature more than a decade ago, but Kia and Hyundai refused even though the company was aware its security failures were exposed in a viral TikTok in early 2022 and were aware by mid-2022 that thefts of its vehicles had soared as a result.

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