Updated Vehicle Theft Protection Standards

Summary#

This is a proposed change to the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (MVSR), specifically CMVSS 114 on theft protection. It would update the immobilizer (anti-theft) standards Canada accepts so they match newer international and industry standards like ANSI/CAN/UL/ULC 338:2025 and UN Regulation No. 162. The proposal was published in Canada Gazette, Part I on December 27, 2025, is open for comment for 75 days, and — if made final in Part II — would give manufacturers two years to comply.

What it does#

• Replaces the old Canadian standard CAN/ULC-S338-98 with ANSI/CAN/UL/ULC 338:2025 (the 2025 CAN/ULC standard). This version explicitly includes tests for “electronic attack tools” and adds imperial units.
• Adopts the technical rules from UN Regulation No. 162 (ambulatory reference to the 00 series), bringing together earlier UN rules (Nos. 97 and 116) into a single international standard.
• Repeals the older Canada-specific option in subsections (8) to (21) of CMVSS 114, because it is now outdated and does not list electronic attack tools.
• Adjusts some wording and testing rules so the UN text fits Canada’s self-certification system (instead of the UN’s type-approval system). For example, “rapidly” would be defined as less than 5 minutes and “time consuming” as at least 5 minutes.
• Updates an import-related rule so imported vehicles must meet the new CAN/ULC 2025 reference for immobilizers.
• Provides a two-year transition period before mandatory compliance.

Who's affected#

• Primarily vehicle manufacturers and importers — about 45 companies are estimated to need to update their paperwork and test documentation.
• One manufacturer that currently uses the old Canadian-specific subsection would need to switch to one of the new standards.
• Other groups likely to watch these changes include insurance companies, aftermarket repair shops, and vehicle identification/VIN investigators, though the formal compliance obligations fall on manufacturers and importers.
• Consumers are not directly required to do anything, but the rule affects the standards built into new vehicles.

Why it matters#

• The change brings Canada in line with newer international and industry standards. That helps ensure immigrant and domestically made vehicles are tested against modern theft methods.
• It adds attention to “electronic attack tools” (things like key signal relays or on-board key programmers). Manufacturers will have to consider those tools when they document how their immobilizers resist tampering.
• The government estimates the paperwork and administrative updates will cost industry about $0.80 million in present value over 2026 to 2035. That works out to roughly 322 hours of work per company in the transition year (about 40 hours per model) and an average annualized cost of about $742 per affected business.
• Officials and stakeholders say the update is mainly administrative and is not expected to force changes to how vehicles are made. The proposal’s authors also note that updating the standards alone is not expected to greatly reduce thefts tied to organized crime.
• This is a proposal, not law yet. Interested parties can comment during the 75-day consultation before final rules are published.