Image Courtesy: Jeffrey Paa Kwesi Opare on PexelsConsidering the tech boom in the car industry, most new cars are being offered with connected technology that allows owners to track them using their smartphones - a great security feature that could come in handy if a vehicle is stolen.Some connected car technology features also include vehicle start/stop notifications, so owners know whenever their car is switched on. However, it appears that these features may not prove to be useful when they're needed the most, as suggested by an incident in the UK.Companies that support these connected services need regulatory approvals for the features to work as intended, and that is where the issue lies, because certain laws can prevent live tracking of vehicles by the owner, making it harder for them to act swiftly in recovering their stolen vehicles.AdvertisementAdvertisementAs a result, experts have cautioned motorists against excessive reliance on connected car technology for security purposes because it could leave them disappointed and frustrated during emergencies.Kia Owner Unable to Track His Car Despite Having Connected Technology ServiceImage Courtesy: Jeffrey Paa Kwesi Opare on PexelsAccording to a report by the BBC, Ian Fogg, a technology analyst at FDM CCS Insight, said his car was stolen from outside his house in March, but he has not been able to recover it because the manufacturer, Kia, was unwilling to monitor the car's live location.Fogg was traveling abroad in March when he received a notification on his phone that he no longer had access to his Kia Connect app. This was because the car thieves had broken into his vehicle and disconnected his phone through the entertainment system, and all this was done without the key.Fogg, who has video doorbell evidence of the theft, was surprised by the ease with which thieves stole his car. He said:AdvertisementAdvertisement"This car was incredibly easy to hack but incredibly difficult to track, it shouldn't be this easy to nick a car when they cost an order of magnitude more than a phone and have similar radio technology."He had also hidden an Apple AirTag inside his car, but that was located and thrown away by the thieves because it was making a noise, a feature designed to prevent stalking.Kia advises its owners to contact the company if their car has been stolen. When Fogg did that, the company asked him to fill out a form. He had to fill it out every time he requested the location of his car.Sadly, he did it eight times, and each time, he only received the location 24-48 hours after the request was made. The car was last located in Lithuania.Kia Says the Connect Feature Is for Convenience, Not SecurityKia told the BBC that UK law prevented the Connect function from being used to live track vehicles, advising customers to use it for "convenience" rather than security. It said:AdvertisementAdvertisement"Kia Connect is a customer convenience feature, not a certified security vehicle tracker."Therefore, it does not provide live‑tracking functionality for stolen vehicles."Release of location details of a vehicle via Kia Connect is possible, however, this must be done in full compliance with all applicable laws, in particular GDPR, and the authorities to minimise risk to the customer."According to Britain's data regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office, users have the right to request access to their personal data, and organizations must respond within one month.However, in vehicle theft cases, police generally cannot demand connected car data without special Home Office approval, leaving it up to individual car manufacturers to decide whether to share the information with law enforcement.AdvertisementAdvertisementFor customers in the U.S., Kia offers vehicle tracking services to customers with the premium package, an option that users in the UK or Europe don't get.Fogg was left frustrated by the experience, revealing how, despite technological advancements, cars are vulnerable to theft. He said:"Both cars and phones include mobile phone radios, satellite location chips, short-range wireless activity and sophisticated software."But while the phone industry has strengthened theft protection measures in recent years, the situation in the car industry is worse."Fogg's next steps to recover his car were not revealed in the report. It is also unclear whether he will receive an insurance payout if the Kia is not recovered.
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