In 2007, Canada started requiring all vehicles to have a cheap, effective anti-theft device. The U.S. didn’t. Now, it is paying the price with a surge in Kia and Hyundai thefts.
“In 2005, Transport Canada, a federal agency, decided to do something about it. Starting in 2007, it declared, all passenger vehicles sold in Canada would require an engine immobilizer, a basic anti-theft device that uses an electronic signature in the key to unlock the engine. If the key isn’t present, the car can’t be started. This prevents hot wiring and other old-school, brute force methods of stealing cars.”
Saved you a few min.
Because it allows car makers to save $5 on each car and pass the savings along to their bank accounts.
This is what blows my mind. Like, cars cost tens of thousands of dollars. No one is going to balk at an extra $5 bucks for this feature. If nothing, it’s worth the cost to the manufacturer in PR terms. Now Hyundai/Kia have a bad reputation for car thefts. I’m sure avoiding that would have been worth the $5.
Congress: Does this regulation cut our wealthy briber’s “donor’s” taxes?
Well no, but it…
Congress: Let us just stop you right there, kindly fuck off. Oh and remember, we’re the thin blue/red line between you and oblivion, so remember to re-elect us you stupid fucking sucker poories.
I mean, maybe it’s because engine immobilizers have been standard equipment since 1998, and Hyundai/Kia are the only marques that chose to buck the trend? My family’s Mercury had an immobilizer… in 1995.
That would require US politicians to ignore various lobbies (and their $$$) and focus on consumer protections. Don’t see that happening.
