Models affected by this extend well into the 30k range. This is not just affecting the cheapest possible vehicle someone can buy and we're running into people not setting expectations accordingly. Equally cheap vehicles from other manufacturers are not nearly this easy to steal, particularly by completely inexperienced thieves.
Cheaper than the mean perhaps, but again not bottom of the barrel for many of these models.
However, even if you want to keep focusing on these being 'cheap' vehicles, it STILL stands out in the industry as highly unusual. Even back in 2015, 96% of vehicles from other manufacturers had these devices (https://www.iihs.org/media/0e14ba17-a3c2-4375-8e66-081df9101...). It's a pretty easy argument to make that consumers would not be looking specifically for a feature that is near universal elsewhere. It was an abnormality and Hyundai/Kia will, unsurprisingly, pay for it in the long run.
30k car is definitely not "cheap". That statistics is skewed by 1) high-end cars (Bill Gates walks into a bar, everybody's average income doubles) 2) the fact that people that can't afford expensive cars just buy used ones. That doesn't make the new ones less expensive in any way.
I completely agree with you about the value of conferences(for my industry) and I've stopped attending them. I find trainings generally more valuable, though they are frequently pricey. One alternative I've also considered is the ability to work remotely/disconnected for a week or so to focus on researching a new technology or skill. For a self-starter I think this could be a great use of time and money for all parties.
Obviously for any of these scenarios to work you need an employee that wants to learn, and an employer who is willing to invest in their employee's growth.
