MILWAUKEE (CNN) - A woman in Milwaukee says her Kia has been stolen three times, even after she installed a free security upgrade meant to prevent this crime from happening.

  • 0110010001100010@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    “This software update makes it so that even if they try to plug that USB port in, it’s not going to disable the ignition immobilizer,” Emily Falecki said. “It’s going to keep that intact and it is going to sound the factory alarm.”

    Falecki said on Friday that part of this upgrade requires Kia owners to lock their cars with a key fob.

    If you don’t use the key fob to lock your vehicle, the upgrade is useless.

    So this is a software “fix” for a hardware problem. WTF Kia…

    • Martin@feddit.nu
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      10 months ago

      What does “locking with the key fob” mean? Do they mean actually turning a key in a door lock or pressing a button on the key fob?

      • scoobford@lemmy.zip
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        10 months ago

        They mean you have to press the button. If you lock with the door button or by using the keylock on the outside of a door, it doesn’t work.

        • Martin@feddit.nu
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          10 months ago

          Thank you. Also, it’s crazy that the locking behaves differently depending on what methods you use to lock

          • Psythik@lemmy.world
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            10 months ago

            I found that most cars with a button on the outside of the door to lock behave this way. Pushing that button only locks the doors. You have to press the button on the fob to actually arm the car.

    • helenslunch@feddit.nl
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      10 months ago

      I don’t see this as Kia’s fault at all. These cars were bare basement bottom of the line cars. They included very limited security systems. It is not a responsibility of the manufacturer to provide any level of security or to help you when your shit is stolen.

      • yamanii@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        It is their responsibility to not make a security system so bad that teens with a USB drive can steal the car.

        • helenslunch@feddit.nl
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          10 months ago

          No, it isnt. That would just drive up the cost and make it even more unaffordable. They made important cars that cater to a specific demographic, and it was a complete non-issue before it became a TikTok trend.

          • edric@lemm.ee
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            10 months ago

            The thing is, the exact same models sold in Canada have immobilizers installed in them as standard. And it costs just a couple of bucks per car for them to do that. I guess your point is kinda valid in the sense that because they weren’t required by law to do it in the US, they didn’t. While they didn’t break any laws, it’s still a dumb thing to do to penny pinch. All their 2023 models and up now have immobilizers on them with prices still within their class range, so it’s not like they couldn’t do it.

            Also, they aren’t exactly bottom of the barrel anymore nowadays and their cars are sold at a premium.

              • edric@lemm.ee
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                10 months ago

                You can buy an aftermarket immobilizer for $30 on amazon. A car manufacturer can probably get them for cheaper in bulk.

      • Snapz@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        Helen, why were immobilizers standard in just about every other manufacturer’s vehicles? Some things are not the burden of the consumer - you should not need to be an expert in your doctors provided care or in the additives in your toothpaste. Do you know why? because even if you arrogantly thought you had a grasp on it, you’d likely be doing a shit job, because you’re not a doctor or a chemical engineer. The government should have regulated this as a standard need, but short of that, this is was much of a standard as you can have (especially in Europe).

        It’s a great example though of how enough companies to make an impact WILL NOT do the right thing unless it is mandated. Hyundai was the test balloon and if they got away with it, others would have followed. Only good news arid this is that the PR shit show Hyundai bought for themselves will scare off other manufacturer’s from shedding those $1.24 worth of parts from their BOM for another few years at least.

        • helenslunch@feddit.nl
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          10 months ago

          why were immobilizers standard in just about every other manufacturer’s vehicles?

          They aren’t. They’re offered in many cars to prevent theft. 🤯

          Some things are not the burden of the consumer

          Lots of things are not anyone’s burden. Like immobilizers. I mean maybe one day UNICEF will enter the immobilization industry and we can all have them for free. Until then, it costs someone money. If the consumer wants to pay for it, they can choose 1 of hundreds of other vehicles. If they don’t, that is their choice also. It’s not the manufacturer’s burden.

          you should not need to be an expert in your doctors provided care or in the additives in your toothpaste.

          And you don’t have to be. That’s why there are doctors and dentists. You do still maintain a responsibility of educating yourself on some basic level and maintaining your personal health. Not really sure what your point was there.

          • skulblaka@startrek.website
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            10 months ago

            Immobilisers have been mandatory in all new cars sold in Germany since 1 January 1998, in the United Kingdom since 1 October 1998, in Finland since 1998, in Australia since 2001 and in Canada since 2007.

            Unfortunately in the good old US of A that is somehow not the case, but it remains a fact that it is a bare minimum requirement for vehicle security. You will not purchase a vehicle in America that is not a Kia that does not have an immobilizer.

            • helenslunch@feddit.nl
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              10 months ago

              That’s great. I’m happy for those countries. What does that have to do with this conversation?

              • skulblaka@startrek.website
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                10 months ago

                The fact that they are, factually, standard on every other manufacturer’s vehicles, like you want to insist they aren’t. You’re clearly refusing to understand the words being communicated to you so, good luck in life I guess, this conversation is done.

      • geekworking@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        You can buy an add-on immobilizer on Amazon or eBay for $20. The cost to a car company to build this into the computer in the factory should be under $10. Virtually every other car company has used them by default in everything since the mid 1990s.

        • helenslunch@feddit.nl
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          10 months ago

          It’s probably garbage. OEMs aren’t installing garbage. That would make the situation 10x worse.