Seattle (Nov. 20, 2023) – A lawsuit filed by Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison against auto manufacturers Kia and Hyundai will move forward, after a federal judge denied the automakers’ motion to dismiss.
U.S. District Court Judge James V. Selna, of the Central District of California, who is administering the Multidistrict Litigation (MDL), made his ruling on the matter on Friday, Nov. 17.
The complaint filed last January by City Attorney Davison was the first of its kind in the United States. Soon after the filing, other municipalities and governmental entities joined the suit. Currently, 79 cases from more than two dozen district courts are included in this MDL.
City Attorney Davison seeks to require the car manufacturers to install industry standard anti-theft technology in specific Kia and Hyundai models made between 2011 and 2021. Additionally, she seeks to recover damages for the City from the automakers, as the absence of security equipment has led to an extraordinary number of vehicle thefts and a commensurate surge in police response. The suit contends that the increased police work in Seattle and elsewhere would not have trended up so steeply if the specific models were manufactured to industry standards.
“It is very welcome news that the Court denied the car manufacturers’ motion to dismiss this lawsuit. This underscores what I have asserted since the beginning: two carmakers chose to cut corners and cut costs at the expense of public safety. This, in turn, makes the City of Seattle shoulder the burden on this increase in theft. These vehicles are too easy to steal and present a tremendous public safety hazard. Through this lawsuit, Kia and Hyundai must be held responsible for their part in creating this public safety hazard, separate from, and in addition to, those individuals engaging in criminal conduct.” – Ann Davison, Seattle City Attorney
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