The TikTok motor vehicle theft has caused grave concerns among car owners across the globe and South Africa could be the next victim of the infamous trend.
Last year, the TikTok trend of motor vehicle theft got viral in the USA and Australia and the latest news reports suggest that South Africa might be its new target where crime related to vehicles is already prevalent. The infamous video showed thieves easily breaking into Hyundai and Kia cars in the USA and driving it away using just a USB cable. That attracted new safety measures from Korean carmakers to prevent such thefts. With the threat of such trends getting popular in South Africa, car owners must stay watchful.
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TikTok Motor Vehicle Theft Trend in South Africa
Modern cars use a lot of electronics in the system to make our lives easier and more convenient. However, the downside of this is that anyone capable of manipulating electronic signals can easily access the car, unlock it and drive away. The electronic key fobs are easy to replicate using a relay which can make the system believe that the new car key signal is authentic. South Africa is already struggling with the issue of vehicle theft for a long time now.
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In fact, the stats say that 1 vehicle is stolen in SA every 22 mins which is quite alarming. Hence, if a trend like the TikTok ‘Kia Challenge’ takes its roots in South Africa, things could get even worse. But there is positive news here as well. Hyundai and Kia cars sold in SA since 1998 are equipped with engine immobilisers. These prevent such cases of theft. Cars in the USA didn’t have this system in place which is why it was so easy to steal them.
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Hence, the problem with this TikTok motor vehicle theft trend might not be applicable to SA. Nevertheless, the regular cases of vehicle theft are still concerning. Hence, one must take the necessary precautions anyway. This includes ensuring that the vehicle is parked in a crowded area, CCTV cameras are installed in the driveway and GPS trackers are installed in cars to track the location of the car even if it is stolen. The safety of your car rests in your hands.
