Canada: Planned revision of the CMVSS theft protection standard

 

Across Canada, motor vehicle theft has risen significantly, with perpetrators employing increasingly sophisticated tactics. Recognizing the serious impact of vehicle theft on our communities, it is crucial to explore ways to enhance theft prevention measures and anti-theft devices. As theft methods rapidly evolve, Transport Canada is seeking your input on our strategies to address this issue.

Currently, the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations do not address profit-driven theft linked to organized crime. Instead, they focus on vehicle theft through a safety perspective, outlining measures for theft prevention through locking and immobilization systems, along with their specified designs and performance criteria. The introduction of immobilizer requirements in 2005 aimed to reduce the risk of fatalities, injuries, and property damage associated with stolen vehicles. This proactive measure responded to incidents involving young offenders joyriding in stolen vehicles, which often led to collisions, serious injuries, and deaths. However, profit-driven theft linked to organized crime falls outside the Minister’s authority under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, leaving this type of theft unregulated.

To comply with immobilizer requirements, companies must install systems that meet one of the four options listed in the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 114. Currently, CMVSS 114 only references specific versions, so the most recent versions of the standard options do not apply. Updating CMVSS 114 to adopt the latest versions or remove obsolete options would require companies to update their compliance documents and potentially their immobilization systems to reflect the updated standard. While these changes could support the overall approach to combatting auto theft, they would impose additional burdens on affected companies, requiring resource allocation, regulatory compliance, and changes in manufacturing processes.

Another potential approach is to create non-binding agreements (such as a Memorandum of Understanding or Letters of Commitment) between Transport Canada and vehicle manufacturers. However, these agreements would be voluntary and lack enforceability.

Given that many jurisdictions worldwide are grappling with vehicle theft, Transport Canada has conducted a review of vehicle theft prevention standards in Canada and other countries – specifically, the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Australia, and Japan – to better understand their approaches to combatting theft through vehicle standards. The review found that Canada is generally in line with other countries in terms of its mandatory theft prevention requirements. The inclusion of multiple options to comply with Canada’s CMVSS 114 offers flexibility in meeting immobilization system requirements, consistent with standards adopted by other countries. This promotes harmonization and demonstrates that Canada aligns with the international community in theft protection and anti-theft measures.

While there are several potential solutions to combat auto theft, it is important to acknowledge the limitations of these proposals. Vehicle theft is a complex issue without a simple solution. Transport Canada does not have jurisdiction over aftermarket products; provincial and territorial governments are responsible for overseeing the installation of aftermarket equipment.

Transport Canada is seeking feedback on our possible approach to reducing vehicle theft in Canada.

To find out more about vehicle regulations in Canada, please contact the Institute for Global Automotive Regulatory Research directly.