A total of 19,743 Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 electric cars are being recalled over rollaway concerns.

Separate recall notices from Hyundai and Kia both state that a "software error in the Shifter Control Unit" in affected vehicles could disengage park, allowing vehicles to roll. This could happen because of a voltage fluctuation when a vehicle is off and in park, which could interrupt the signal from the Shifter Control Unit to the parking mechanism.

The recalls encompass 10,729 Hyundai and 9,014 Kia vehicles. The Ioniq 5 and EV6 share the E-GMP platform, and there is significant component and software sharing between the two models as well. Hyundai also informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that the 2023 Genesis GV60 and G80 EV use the same parking mechanism, but these EVs haven't gone on sale in the United States yet.

2022 Kia EV6, red, and 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5

2022 Kia EV6, red, and 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5

Owners will be informed when to take their cars to dealerships to have the Shifter Control Unit software updated free of charge. Until then, owners are advised to park their vehicles on level ground whenever possible.

Even though this is a software issue, it underscores that Kia and Hyundai still can't deploy over-the-air fixes or upgrades to the propulsion or safety systems—even though the E-GMP platform is capable of it.

Tesla has, for years, has been able to address issues that would otherwise require a physical service visit by deploying a firmware fix over the air. Although sometimes Tesla does need to remedy recalls with service visits. For example, a Model 3 and Model Y recall issued last year required service centers to physically inspect brake-caliper bolts that could have been loose.