Mandatory TAG insurance tracking systems add another invasive datapoint to our cars, but may no longer be an option
“Almost 600 cars stolen since Christmas in Mississauga and Brampton,” hollers the headline. In the first week of the year alone, 95 were stolen. At the time of this report, only 11 had been considered solved. If you wake up and find your driveway empty, these figures let you know pretty much how this is going to play out. The bad guys are winning, and winning big. If your vehicle’s a popular one with thieves, get ready to be required to install an aftermarket tracker.
Effective in 2007, Canada mandated that all cars include anti-theft immobilizing systems. By refusing to allow someone to start the car if it didn’t recognize a chip in the key, it was meant to thwart thieves who would steal a car without the key, ie. by hotwiring.
The government release at the time stated that, “theft of vehicles by young offenders in particular is a serious problem.” Law enforcement today just wishes that were the problem.
According to The Équité Association, a national non-profit that helps insurers fight theft and fraud, “Canada is rapidly becoming a source country for exporting “a tremendous amount of stolen vehicles. They’re being used as crime platforms — car bombs, trafficking, terrorism, and drug smuggling.” That statement is terrifying, and costly.
Some insurance carriers are piloting programs to test the impact of using the TAG program, a system that has “trained technicians install multiple, difficult to locate tracking devices throughout a vehicle. In the event of a theft, these devices can be tracked anytime, anywhere in North America.” Etchings on the driver’s and passenger’s window warn potential thieves that they will have little success with a vehicle sporting this system.
If insurers get strict about requiring owners to implement something like the TAG tracking system on the most vulnerable vehicles, will it shut down car theft? In theory, maybe. Teslas are said to be basically unstealable, and high-tech electric vehicles in general see fewer thefts, as they’re usually parked inside or close to a building, proving that the latest software can introduce unpalatable hurdles. But auto theft is like a river: put in an obstacle, the water flows in another direction and carries on.
Until a few years ago, older pickup trucks dominated most stolen lists. They were easy to steal. Once thieves figured out how to hack into new cars, they became the target. If Quebec successfully protects its most-stolen vehicles, look for higher theft rates in other provinces — especially Ontario — to fill the overseas orders.
Some people put Apple AirTags on their cars, though thieves can override those as well. Privacy concerns are also still an issue if it’s not you tracking your car, but someone else tracking you.
Peruse the most-stolen vehicle lists for your province, decide if something like the TAG system would be a wise investment, and know your insurer might soon be requiring it. “Insurers won’t authorize a rental vehicle for 72 hours in case the vehicle is recovered,” Arnold reminds you. “We all pay for the increase in theft. It will continue to increase in current market conditions. Authorities are working on this issue with border agencies, the IBC and insurers. It is so stressful for a client dealing with a car theft. It’s traumatic having someone invade your private space, let alone the inconvenience.”
