VOA新闻杂志2023 纽约市起诉现代和起亚汽车（在线收听）

New York City is taking legal action against the carmakers Hyundai and Kia. City officials say some of the companies' vehicles have a design problem that makes them easier to steal.

纽约市正在对汽车制造商现代和起亚采取法律行动。市政府官员表示，这两家公司的部分车辆存在设计问题，使其更容易被盗。

The car models in the case lack equipment called engine immobilizers. These devices prevent the engine from starting unless the key is present. Such devices have been used on most cars since the 1990s.

本案中的汽车型号没有配备发动机防盗装置。这种装置能阻止发动机起动，除非有钥匙。自上世纪90年代以来，这种装置已被用于大多数汽车。

But videos on TikTok and other sites show how to start the cars using only USB cables and a common tool called a screwdriver.

但TikTok等网站上的视频展示了如何光使用USB线和螺丝刀这种普通工具来启动汽车。

New York government lawyers say that Hyundai Motor America and Kia America Inc. failed to keep up with other automakers by not using immobilizer technology.

纽约市政府律师表示，现代汽车美国公司和起亚美国股份有限公司没有采用防盗技术，未能跟上其他汽车制造商的步伐。

"Hyundai's and Kia's business decisions to reduce costs, and thereby boost profits, by foregoing common anti-theft technology have resulted in an epidemic of thefts," the lawsuit states.

诉讼称：“现代汽车和起亚汽车通过（减少）上述通用防盗技术来降低成本，从而提高利润的商业决策导致了偷车的泛滥。”

The city says the vehicle thefts are putting pressure on its police department's resources and harming public safety and emergency services.

该市表示，车辆盗窃案给警察局的资源带来了压力，并损害了公共安全和应急服务。

The New York City police department reports that about 287 Kias were stolen last year, compared with approximately 119 in 2021. Around 415 Hyundais were reported stolen in 2022, compared with 232 a year earlier.

纽约市警察局报告称，去年约有287辆起亚汽车被盗，而2021年约为119辆。据报道，2022年约有415辆现代汽车被盗，而一年前为232辆。

The problem has continued, with an estimated 977 Hyundai and Kia vehicles reported stolen in the first four months of this year. There were only 148 such thefts in the same months last year.

这一问题仍在继续，据估计，今年前四个月有977辆现代和起亚汽车被盗。去年同月，此类盗窃案只有148起。

New York, the nation's biggest city by population, joins a growing list of cities going after the carmakers.

纽约是美国人口最多的城市，该市也加入了越来越多“追击”汽车制造商的城市行列。

Other major cities in Maryland, Ohio, Wisconsin and other states have filed similar legal complaints after large increases in car thefts.

在汽车盗窃案大幅增加后，马里兰州、俄亥俄州、威斯康星州等州的其他大型城市也提出了类似的法律指控。

New York City is requesting an order for abatement of the problem. It also requests that the court order Hyundai and Kia to pay for economic losses suffered by the city as a result of the problem.

纽约市正要求出台命令来减少这一问题。它还要求法院命令现代汽车和起亚汽车赔偿该市因该问题而遭受的经济损失。

Hyundai says it is committed to ensuring the quality and soundness of its products.

现代汽车表示，它致力于确保其产品的质量和可靠性。

In a written statement, the automaker said that a small group of basic, low cost Hyundai cars on the road in the U.S. today "are not equipped with push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft devices."

该汽车制造商在一份书面声明中表示，目前在美国道路行驶的一小批基本配置的低价现代汽车“没有配备按钮式点火装置和固定防盗装置”。

The statement added, "It is important to clarify that an engine immobilizer is an anti-theft device and these vehicles are fully compliant with federal anti-theft requirements."

声明补充道，“需要澄清的是，发动机防盗器是一种防盗装置，这些车辆完全符合联邦防盗要求。”

All Hyundai cars made from November 2021 onward have engine immobilizers.

从2021年11月起生产的所有现代汽车都配有发动机防盗装置。

The company also said that it's speaking with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on the actions it is taking to assist its customers.

该公司还表示，正在与美国国家公路交通安全管理局就其为帮助客户而采取的行动进行沟通。

Kia did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

起亚没有立即回应路透社的置评请求。

Last month Hyundai and Kia reached a settlement to end a lawsuit prompted by an increase in vehicle thefts.

上个月，现代和起亚达成和解，结束了一起因汽车盗窃案增加而引发的诉讼。

The settlement could be valued at $200 million and covers about 9 million 2011-2022 model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles in the U.S., the companies said at the time.

两家公司当时表示，和解协议的价值可能为2亿美元，涵盖美国约900万辆2011-2022车型年份的现代和起亚汽车。

The settlement will provide payment to customers who suffered theft-related losses or damage not covered by insurance — as well as payments for insurance deductibles, increased insurance prices and other losses, Kia and Hyundai said.

起亚和现代表示，和解将为遭受盗窃相关损失或保险范围外损坏的客户提供赔偿，以及赔偿保险免赔额、保险价格上涨和其他损失。

A software improvement will also be provided to some owners. For customers with vehicles that cannot use the software upgrade, the agreement will provide a payment of up to $300 for anti-theft devices.

两家公司还将向一些车主提供软件升级。对于车辆无法使用软件升级的客户，该协议将提供高达300美元的防盗设备赔偿。

Kia and Hyundai have also given affected customers tens of thousands of free steering wheel locks through local law enforcement and direct shipments, the companies said.

这两家公司表示，起亚和现代还通过当地执法部门和直接寄送向受影响的客户免费提供了数万个方向盘锁。

A court is expected to consider that proposed settlement starting in July.

预计法院将从7月开始审议这一拟议的和解方案。