A former Korean safety engineer with Hyundai Motor Co. will receive the first whistleblower award from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): A $24.3 million payment for information regarding engine safety issues in 1.6 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles sold in the United States.
Hyundai Motor America and Kia Motors America paid $210 million combined in 2020 to settle claims the companies failed to report engine safety defects to the NHTSA in a timely fashion, as is required under the Safety Act. Of that $210 million, $81 million was paid in cash to the U.S. government.
