Whistleblower cashes out with record $24m for exposing Hyundai, Kia’s safety lapses

A whistleblower who exposed safety lapses in the operations of South Korean auto giants, Hyundai and Kia, has been awarded a whopping $24 million payout by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the US Department of Transportation.

The award which was handed to ex-Hyundai Motor engineer Kim Gwang-ho on Tuesday, is the biggest ever in a whistleblower case in the auto sector globally, according to law firm Constantine Cannon, which represented Kim.

“This award is the maximum percentage allowed by law,” NHTSA said in a statement announcing the award.

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The engineer had provided key information about safety lapses at the South Korean carmaker.

It comes as the US regulator, NHTSA, and the Department of Transportation prepare to propose regulations related to an automotive whistleblower program Congress created in 2015.

Kim had reported to NHTSA in 2016 that Hyundai was failing to address a design flaw linked to its Theta II engines, which were prone to seizing up and even catching fire.

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