WTF?! Imagine if your high-tech, new electric vehicle was able to be quickly and easily stolen using a handheld device, and the only way to prevent it from happening was to pay the manufacturer $65. That bewildering situation really is happening in the UK, where Hyundai is offering this "optional" security upgrade to Ioniq 5 owners.
Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis EVs have been targeted by thieves in the UK and other locations in recent times who use a handheld emulation device disguised to look like a Game Boy. It features radio transmission components that crack the wireless protocols used by these vehicles, all of which come from the Hyundai Motor Group.
Hyundai has now posted a message to UK owners of its Ioniq 5 EVs warning of "evolving security threats" in the country, including the use of unauthorised electronic devices to bypass vehicle locking systems.
But don't worry: as part of the company's commitment to supporting its customers, it is offering a software and hardware upgrade, and for the subsidized price of £49 ($65).
It's pretty surprising to see any company asking customers to pay to fix a security flaw in their product, especially when said item is an expensive car that comes with a five-year warranty.
Unlike the Game Boy that it's meant to resemble, the device has an aerial protruding from the top. It also shows the makes and models of the vehicles that can be hacked on the screen. Users just have to be near a car and activate the vehicle's proximity system by pressing the lock/unlock button on the door handle. The Key Tool scans and records the signal that originates from the car and cracks the algorithm. It can then act as a responder that the vehicle recognizes as an authorized proximity remote. The device is priced at around $25,000, so they're not easily accessible.
Hyundai is no stranger to security flaws and other defects. In 2023, about 52,000 Hyundai vehicles and nearly 40,000 Kia vehicle owners were advised to park outdoors due to a fire risk.
That same year saw multiple cities sue both Hyundai and Kia for failing to install engine immobilizers in their vehicles. The vulnerability was exposed in viral TikTok and YouTube videos – the Kia Challenge – leading to a spate of car thefts, injuries, and fatalities called the Kia Boyz attacks. The companies agreed to a $200 million settlement.
More recently, researchers found a flaw in the Kai web portal that let them track millions of cars, unlock doors, and start engines at will.
Hyundai tells Ioniq 5 owners it will fix keyless security flaw – for a $65 "contribution"
