Hyundai cars are once again in the spotlight for car theft, this time due to a sophisticated technique called the “Game Boy” hack. Last year, Hyundai and Kia were among the most stolen vehicles in the U.S., largely due to the “theft challenge” spread by social media videos from the so-called “Kia Boys.” Now, a new problem has emerged involving advanced methods to steal electric vehicles (EVs).
Autoevolution reported that South Korean automakers’ electric vehicles have become a new target for car thieves. These criminals are using advanced electronic equipment disguised as a Nintendo Game Boy console to unlock and steal cars. This method is known as “Game Boy car theft.”
The device used in these thefts is actually a “Key Emulator,” a sophisticated and expensive piece of electronics worth tens of thousands of dollars. The key emulator sends signals to the EV, which the car then recognizes as legitimate, allowing the thief to unlock the door and start the vehicle.
In a video posted on YouTube, two thieves are seen stealing a Hyundai Ioniq 5 in under a minute using a key emulator. The thieves further evade detection by deleting the car from the owner’s account, making it difficult to track the stolen vehicle.
As EVs gain popularity, the number of car thefts using key emulators is on the rise despite the high cost of these devices. This new wave of thefts follows last year’s Kia Boys challenge, which led to a surge in thefts of Hyundai and Kia vehicles. The challenge showed how to easily steal older base trims of Hyundai Elantra, Sonata, and Kia Optima models without push-button starters and engine immobilizers.
Hyundai and Kia have been working to address these security vulnerabilities, but the emergence of key emulators presents a new challenge in securing their vehicles against theft.
BY HYOUNGJAE KIM, HOONSIK WOO [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]
