The Minnesota House of Representatives and Senate are considering bills that would require automakers to install anti-theft devices and software in all vehicles made after January 1, 2013. This may require an extensive recall effort, particularly by Kia and Hyundai. Owners of those two makes have seen a dramatic increase in the number of thefts.
“What we have right now is a situation where an automaker has produced a vehicle that is not safe to have in our community right now,” said Rep. Zach Stephenson (DFL - Coon Rapids) said at a press conference before the first House committee hearing on the bill Monday morning in St. Paul. “The people responsible should be accountable and should step up to the plate and bear the cost of fixing the problem.”
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara joined lawmakers including Stephenson, Sen. Judy Seeberger (DFL - District 41) and Rep. Brad Tabke (DFL - Shakopee) to talk about the urgent need as he sees it for action.
“I would equate this to like the problem with the Pinto in the 70s,” said Chief O’Hara. “This is something that literally young people are losing their lives over, getting seriously hurt, and getting involved in more serious crime.”
Mayors Melvin Carter of St. Paul and Jacob Frey of Minneapolis last week issued a joint letter, along with Attorney General Keith Ellison, to Kia and Hyundai asking for similar recalls. O’Hara said he’d heard about programs both companies had to distribute steering wheel locking anti-theft devices to owners.
“That does not even cover the victims of theft that own Kias and Hyundais that have had their cars stolen more than once,’ he said.
Brooklyn Park police recently received 100 of the devices from the companies, and they were distributed within days.
O’Hara said there were more than 2,000 Kias and Hyundais stolen in Minneapolis last year, and 130 victims report it happened more than once.
The House bill went before committee for the first time on Monday.