A Solution to the Vehicle Theft Epidemic in Canada and Beyond
Thomas M. Kowalick ©2024
How did Canada allow millions of unsecured vehicles that are easy to steal onto streets and highways?
If automakers and government regulators were part of this decades-old problem, they should also be part of the solution.
Motorists and vehicle owners should not have to pay to solve a terrible public safety problem they did not create.
Automakers or insurance companies should not profit from vehicle theft.
How can we collectively stop this epidemic in Canada and prevent it from spreading throughout North America?
Here’s how.
This article aims to bring public attention to a timely way to improve public safety in Canada by preventing, reducing, and eliminating the theft of light vehicles, including passenger cars and light trucks.
With the utmost urgency, I propose immediately implementing a technical anti-theft countermeasure known as the VEHICLE SAFETY DONGLE.
This technical solution is Canada’s only credible and effective way to address vehicle theft.
I strongly advocate that beginning on January 1, 2025, every vehicle manufactured in or imported to Canada must include this device to protect data security, integrity, and authenticity and prevent vehicle theft via cloning the key fob.
The VEHICLE SAFETY DONGLE is a simple piece of user-friendly security hardware. Its installation is a breeze — it plugs into a vehicle’s diagnostic port and locks in place with a key. When used in conjunction with the efforts of law enforcement agencies, it acts as a firewall, preventing vehicle crimes such as theft, VIN cloning, hacking, and odometer resetting.
The dongle plugs a significant information security hole in vehicles known as the onboard diagnostic port, or OBDII. This small jack underneath the steering column, found on every car or light truck manufactured since 1996, is what hackers use to access logs showing what occurred with the car’s systems before, during, and after a crash, including everything from speed to seat belt use.
The animating principle of the VEHICLE SAFETY DONGLE is that the vehicle’s driver owns that data, which nobody should access without the driver’s permission. The dongle acts as a physical barrier, ensuring the privacy and security of the driver’s information.
The VEHICLE SAFETY DONGLE is not just a security measure but a crucial tool that can significantly reduce the risk of vehicle theft and fraud for vehicle owners and insurance companies. Its standardization as IEEE-1616 ensures all VEHICLE SAFETY DONGLEs meet the highest quality and security standards, providing peace of mind for all stakeholders.
To ensure all vehicle owners can quickly secure their vehicles, we propose that effective July 1, 2025, all registered owners of light vehicles receive from the Canadian government a VEHICLE ANTI-THEFT VOUCHER at the time of vehicle inspection. This voucher will cover the cost of the VEHICLE SAFETY DONGLE and provide information on its self-installation or installation sites throughout Canada.
The installation process is simple and can be completed by any mechanic. Any attempt to tamper with or bypass this dongle will be considered a serious offense. The penalties for such actions are specific and severe, including hefty fines, vehicle impoundment, and even imprisonment.
Failure to implement the VEHICLE SAFETY DONGLE would lead to a surge in vehicle theft, inflated insurance premiums, financial losses for vehicle owners, and a significant decline in public safety. The urgency of this matter cannot be overstated.
The rationale for this petition is based on the following:
Public safety is essential in a democracy.
The public is fearful and skeptical of countermeasure claims.
Motor vehicles are not secure from theft.
The auto industry is producing unsecure vehicles, compounding the problem.
Law enforcement needs more funding.
Legal penalties are insufficient and must be harsher.
Increased auto insurance rates are an economic burden.
The technical issues of vehicle theft are well known: The bad guys use electronic tools.
There are effective countermeasures, but most are expensive and complicated.
Securing vehicles via anti-theft measures is essential for theft reduction.
Securing the vehicle diagnostic link connector is a simple, effective option.
Public confidence in law enforcement and government is necessary.
Thomas M. Kowalick is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Association (IEEE/SA) and was Chair of three Event Data Recorder (EDR) standards and the new Data Storage Systems for Automated and Autonomous Driving (DSSAD) standards. He is the author of FATAL EXIT: The Automotive Black Box Debate (Wiley) and Founder at AIRMIKA INC., the AUTOCYB ® and AUTOTAP ® vehicle cyber security locks manufacturer. He aims to disrupt the North American vehicle anti-theft products market by 2025, with essential security products available on AMAZON in Mexico, the United States & Canada. YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aTFAGsLEjs&t=9s
