Preventative Proposals: Federal gov’t accepts eight vehicle theft prevention challenge proposals; $1.1 million in shared funding

Ottawa, Ontario — The federal government has announced that it is providing over $1.1 million in funding to support eight initiatives intended to help reduce auto theft across the country,

As noted in an official statement made by the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, the Honourable Anita Anand, the projects are part of the Vehicle Theft Prevention challenge, which was first launched in August 2024 under the Innovative Solutions Canada Program and funded by Transport Canada.

The initiatives are also being developed in collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Public Safety Canada.

The eight proposals that have been selected for funding include:

• Smart-phone based security using biometrics and proximity detection
• Locking devices using artificial intelligence monitoring
• A system to replace a vehicle’s starter relay
• Fingerprint authentication
• A.I.-powered steering wheel locks
• Sensors with gesture recognition
• A smart key fob protector
• Miniaturized devices that could disable vehicle components should theft be detected

“Our Government is actively working to deter auto theft,” said the Honourable Anita Anand. “I am pleased to see the number of promising proposals from small and medium-sized enterprises that emerged from this challenge. This is Canadian ingenuity in action, and I look forward  to seeing these proposals evolve into working prototypes.”

For more information, click here.