With vehicle theft rising in Canada, what are automakers doing to beef up security? – National | 24CA News

With automobile theft surging throughout Canada, the auto trade is introducing new methods to beef up safety and stop stolen vehicles from getting exported exterior of the nation.

A report by Équité Association revealed in November mentioned there was a rise in thefts for export, elevated use of refined theft expertise, and high-end automobile thefts.

It’s a “coast-to-coast problem,” mentioned Bryan Gast, vice chairman of investigative companies at Équité Association, with Ontario main the variety of automobiles stolen within the nation, adopted by Quebec and Alberta.

For instance in Toronto final 12 months, there have been 9,439 stories of auto theft — a soar of practically 45 per cent from the earlier 12 months. Toronto Police Service information present that auto theft has elevated yearly yearly since 2018.

It’s the same story in Calgary, which noticed a 24.5 per cent rise in automobile theft incidents final 12 months, as of October 2022.

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Lingering international provide chain points introduced on by the COVID-19 pandemic with restricted stock and huge demand have pushed the rise in auto theft, specialists say — and arranged crime networks are cashing in by utilizing Canada as “a source country.”

“Now you’re starting to see other countries targeting Canada for their vehicles,” Gast mentioned.

The automobiles are stolen for export, to be used within the fee of different offences, for the aim of rebuilding, and for the smallest share, joyriding, he mentioned.

Vehicle closing is when a automobile is stolen, given a fraudulent identification quantity after which offered to unsuspecting individuals who’re defrauded of their cash, in keeping with TPS.

While the advances in expertise with keyless driving have helped with comfort for automotive house owners, it has additionally opened up the door for vulnerabilities.

Toronto police advised Global News that there’s a “growing issue of ‘auto thefts through technology,’ with the majority of vehicles being stolen having keyless ignition systems.”

Gast recognized two predominant ways in which criminals use expertise to steal vehicles. One is thru the onboard diagnostic port, which each automotive is legally mandated to have. It screens emissions, mileage, pace, and different information about your automotive and permits a mechanic to verify for any issues.

If criminals are capable of get their arms on the sort of expertise, they’ll break into the automobile and reprogram a key fob. “This is definitely an increasing trend,” Gast mentioned.

Another manner is thru the “relay attack,” by which the criminals use available and low-cost instruments to intercept the radio frequency sign between the automobile and the important thing fob.

“Any time there’s a technology advancement, it seems that thieves are, in a lot of ways, one step ahead or not too far behind,” mentioned David Adams, president and CEO of the Global Automakers of Canada.

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SUVs are essentially the most generally stolen vehicles in Canada.

Among the ten most stolen automobiles within the nation final 12 months, the Honda CR-V topped the record, adopted by the Lexus RX Series, the Ford F150 Series, the Honda Civic and the Toyota Highlander.

Since 2007, it has been necessary in Canada to equip all automobiles with anti-theft engine immobilizers, mentioned Jennifer McCarthy, a spokesperson for Hyundai.

She mentioned all present Canadian-market Hyundai and Genesis automobiles are outfitted with digital immobilizers and moreover fitted with automobile alarms.

Hyundai Bluelink and Genesis Connected Services additionally supply the flexibility to find stolen automobiles by way of the app’s “Find My Car” perform.

Honda says it’s frequently engaged on methods to enhance automobile safety, together with by way of an app that lets automotive house owners keep related to their automobile remotely utilizing a appropriate smartphone.

Honda’s stolen automobile locator service makes use of refined expertise to help the authorities with discovering your automotive, mentioned Jon Bordignon, a spokesperson for Honda Canada.

The app additionally has a Find My Car function and a Geofence Alert, which notify you when your automotive enters or leaves a chosen area.

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Manufacturers have additionally made it potential to show your key fob off, which is a “significant step,” Gast mentioned.

There has additionally been some progress in terms of the onboard diagnostic port, with the introduction of a faceplate lock that makes it troublesome to entry the port.

Adams mentioned automakers have a accountability to mitigate automobile theft and are consistently taking a look at methods to make sure that their merchandise don’t find yourself in legal arms.

“No manufacturer wants to put a vehicle on the market and then just have it stolen as soon as it’s delivered to the customer,” he mentioned.

Gast mentioned a “collaborative approach” is required involving regulation enforcement, automotive producers, the insurance coverage and banking trade, in addition to shoppers, to ramp up safety.

Owners can take various steps to make their automobiles a bit bit harder to steal, he mentioned.

Police advise towards leaving a operating automobile unattended even for a minute.

When parking, TPS says to search for a well-lit and attended space if potential and switch your wheels in the direction of the curb to make it tougher to tow. When at residence, a movement sensor gentle may be put in, TPS mentioned.

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A steering wheel lock is one other manner to assist deter thieves, police officers and specialists say.

There are additionally pedal locks and you may go as far as to put in a hidden disable swap, often known as the “kill switch,” so even when a legal is ready to get into your automotive, they’ll’t begin it, Gast mentioned.

Tracking companies that normally include a sticker put up on the window may also function a deterrent, he added.