Kia, Hyundai Must Continue Defending Cities’ Negligence Claims

Kia America Inc. and Hyundai Motor America were unable to convince a split federal appeals court to reject negligence claims in the sprawling litigation it faces over an alleged failure to protect against vehicle thefts.

The suing cities in Ohio and Wisconsin sufficiently alleged the car makers were negligent for failing to install anti-theft engine immobilizers and owed the municipalities a duty of ordinary care, a US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit majority said in an unpublished opinion Friday.

The appellate court affirmed the lower court’s decision to deny dismissal of the claims.

The cities are among the ...