The City of Seattle filed a lawsuit against automakers Kia and Hyundai this week, saying they disregarded public safety for profitability by failing to install immobilizers on their cars.

Those cars quickly became easy targets for thieves, burdening law enforcement and other officials in the city, and costing the city an unspecified amount of money, according to the lawsuit.

Seattle’s lawsuit may not be the first against the automakers -- other cities’ attorneys general has said they would consider suing the automakers -- but it’s the largest so far.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Washington, outlines similar claims that other cities have reported. In the lawsuit, Seattle’s city attorneys allege that Kia and Hyundai knowingly refused to install immobilizers on their cars sold in the U.S. between 2011 and 2021 to boost profits.

In 2015, 96% of vehicles sold by other manufacturers were equipped with immobilizers, but only 26% of Hyundai and Kia vehicles were equipped with the anti-theft technology.