Ask Automotive

10/16/2022

The survey, conducted in September, polled 1,522 Canadians about their driving habits and whether they were notifying them to their insurance providers.

At the beginning of the pandemic, roads were left empty as workplaces shut down. Even as public health measures eased, driving levels have stayed low over the past two years due to many companies shifting to remote work.

This sharp decrease in driving meant many drivers got a break on their auto insurance premiums.

But in 2022, more and more workplaces asked workers to return to the office, bringing back a surge in driving levels with the daily work commute.

According to the survey, along with 20 per cent of Canadians saying they’re driving more than they were six months ago, 11 per cent said they are now back to commuting.

But 44 per cent say they haven’t told their insurance provider that their driving frequency has changed, and nearly three-quarters of those respondents said they didn’t know they had to.

A new survey has found many Canadians are driving more with the return to offices and workplaces, but most don’t know they should be reporting this change to their insurance companies, which experts say could cause issues down the line.

10/15/2022

Porsche took pole position as Europe's most valuable automaker on Thursday, overtaking former parent Volkswagen as the price of the sportscar maker's newly-listed shares sped higher.

10/14/2022

The former chief security officer for Uber was convicted Wednesday of trying to cover up a 2016 data breach in which hackers accessed tens of millions of customer records from the ride-hailing service.
A federal jury in San Francisco convicted Joseph Sullivan of obstructing justice and concealing knowledge that a federal felony had been committed, federal prosecutors said.

Sullivan remains free on bond pending sentencing and could face a total of eight years in prison on the two charges when he is sentenced, prosecutors said.

The former chief security officer for Uber was convicted Wednesday of trying to cover up a 2016 data breach in which hackers accessed tens of millions of customer records from the ride-hailing service.

10/13/2022

Shopping for groceries in the Greater Toronto Area just got a little more futuristic.

Loblaw Cos. Ltd and autonomous middle mile logistics company Gatik have teamed up to launch Canada’s first fully driverless grocery delivery truck.

“Being the first in Canada with this technology and deploying a fully driverless solution is exciting and illustrates our commitment to making grocery shopping better for customers,” Loblaw’s Chief Technology and Analytics Officer, David Markwell, said in a news release published Wednesday.

The two companies have been testing the technology since Jan. 2020 and completed 150,000 autonomous deliveries with a 100 per cent safety record during that time.

During those trials, a “safety driver” was on board and in the driver’s seat as a safeguard -- but not operating the vehicle’s controls.

As of today, Loblaw told CTV News Toronto in an email it has five trucks on the road. One of those vehicles is operating fully autonomously, while the other four have a safety driver on board.

Loblaw Cos. Ltd and autonomous middle mile logistics company Gatik have teamed up to launch Canada’s first fully driverless grocery delivery truck.

10/12/2022

ONTARIO’S MOST COMMONLY STOLEN VEHICLES IN 2021
According to a December report from Équité Association, a Canadian organization dedicated to reducing and preventing insurance fraud, the most commonly stolen cars in the province last year were the Lexus RX series, Honda CR-Vs, and Honda Civics.

Toronto police also had these cars among the top three most sought-after vehicles for thieves in the city.

This is Ontario's full top 10 list from Équité Association, including vehicle models, makes, and years:

Lexus RX, SUV, 2018
Honda CR-V, SUV, 2019
Honda Civic, Sedan, 2019
Toyota Highlander, SUV, 2019
Chevrolet/GMC, Silverado/Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, Truck, 2017
Ford, F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, Truck, 2019
Dodge Ram, 1500, 2500, 3500, Truck, 2019
Honda Accord, Sedan, 2018
Toyota Corolla, Sedan, 2017
Land Rover, Range Rover, SUV, 2016
Meanwhile, in Toronto, Honda CR-Vs were the top most stolen vehicles in Toronto in 2021, and Hyundai Elantras also cracked TPS’s list.

In Tuesday's news conference, Harris said on top of Hondas and Toyotas, high-end cars like Mercedes, BMWs, Porsches and Lamborghinis are targets for carjackers in Toronto.

HOW TO REDUCE THE RISK OF GETTING YOUR CAR STOLEN
When parking in public, police advise against leaving your car running – even if you’re running an errand for just a minute. They also say to bring your keys with you, lock all of the doors and windows, and turn your wheels toward the curb to make it harder to tow.

At home, Toronto police recommend parking rear-wheel drive vehicles – cars whose rear wheels do most of the pushing – backed into a driveway. Front-wheel drive cars, or vehicles where the engine is at the front, are recommended to be parked front-end first.

They also suggest making a photocopy of your ownership or insurance cards to leave inside of your vehicle instead of the original.

Other helpful advice Toronto police provided is to never hide a spare key in the vehicle or leave anything on display, like your purse or charging devices. They also remind car owners to take out any items they wouldn’t want to lose.

There are a few more tips CAA South Central Ontario (CAASCO) recommends to keep both you and your vehicle safe.

For yourself, CAASCO says to park your car in a well-lit, high-traffic area, and at home, consider installing a home security camera system that looks over your parking space.

If you see someone heading to your vehicle and you suspect you’re being followed, they recommend making some noise to attract attention and activating your car’s alarm with your key fob.

As for your vehicle, CAASCO recommends keeping your wireless key fob away from the front door or using a Faraday box or pouch to block its signal in order to prohibit remote entry to the vehicle.

They also say to install a GPS tracker, though it won’t necessarily deter theft – after all, York police shared late last year thieves can use Apple AirTags and its technology to track and steal high-end vehicles.

CAASCO also advises using an immobilizer, which is an electronic security device that will start your vehicle’s engine only if the right key is present. This can prevent thieves from hotwiring your car.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CAR IS STOLEN
If your vehicle is stolen, police say to contact them immediately, and be ready to provide the following information to them:

The year, model, make and colour of the vehicle
Licence number
Vehicle Identification Number
Serial numbers of all special equipment
Special markings - dents, scratches, other damage etc.
Detailed information on any accessories stolen from the vehicle

Drivers are being alerted to an uptick in stolen cars. Here's how to avoid getting your car taken and a list of Ontario's most stolen vehicles.

10/07/2022

According to CTV, the highest refund received by any individual vehicle owner (whose name was not available but must have owned an entire fleet of cars) was the aforementioned $38K, though others received refunds as high as $16K and $19K.

When Premier Doug Ford announced that his government was scrapping licence plate stickers, Ontarians were pleased with the prospect of saving $120 ...

10/05/2022

However, analysts say the record prices won’t last and expect to see a 20 cent price drop within the next two weeks.

“My hope is that you'll see a low at around the $2 mark coming out of Thanksgiving there. There is a major refinery due to come back on in early-to-mid-October, they've scheduled maintenance there,” said Pasco.

Prediction site Gaswizard.ca anticipates the situation will get worse before it gets better, with prices possibly reaching $2.46 a litre over the weekend.

The price of gas reached an all-time high of 239.9 cents per litre in Metro Vancouver on Thursday, and analysts expect it will climb even higher before the weekend.

10/04/2022

Attention, potential car buyers: New electric vehicle charging stations are on their way to highway locations near you.
All 50 states received final approval Tuesday to begin construction on a first nationwide network of EV charging stations that places one roughly every 50 miles (80 kilometers) along interstate highways, part of the Biden administration's plan to spur widespread adoption of zero-emission cars.

The Transportation Department said it had OK'd EV charger plans from a last set of 17 states, triggering the release of US$1.5 billion in federal funds to all jurisdictions nationwide -- or $5 billion over five years -- to install or upgrade chargers along 75,000 miles (120,000 kilometers) of highway from coast to coast, with a goal of 500,000 EV chargers nationwide. Plans for the other 33 states and the District of Columbia were approved earlier this month.

All 50 states received final approval Tuesday to begin construction on a first nationwide network of EV charging stations that places one roughly every 80 kilometers along interstate highways, part of the Biden administration's plan to spur widespread adoption of zero-emission cars.

09/30/2022

While some auto insurance providers are set to significantly increase their rates, drivers don’t have to lose control over how much they pay for coverage.

A return to pre-pandemic traffic levels and a rising number of accidents are leading some Ontario insurance companies to raise their rates as high as 12 per cent, according to Rates.ca, a website that allows consumers to shop around for insurance.

Canada-wide inflation has led to an increase in cost of auto parts, meaning higher repair costs and repair time delays.

Insurance companies are responding to this by applying to increase premiums through the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA).

Amid rising insurance rates, the Canadian Automobile Association offers some tips for finding better car insurance deals.

09/29/2022

A vigilante trend of deflating SUV and pickup tires in the name of environmental protection appears to have arrived in Edmonton with one victim calling it "frustrating."

Brandee Rintoul found two tires on her Honda SUV deflated Sunday along with a note, apparently from "The Tire Extinguishers."

Similar flyers have been found on vehicles with deflated tires in Victoria and Kitchener.

"SUVs are unnecessary, and pure vanity," the note says. "We are taking actions into our own hands, because our governments and politicians will not."

"The (vandals) don’t know why people pick the vehicle they drive. It’s not necessarily that I picked this because it’s a gas guzzler or whatever," Rintoul told CTV News Edmonton.

"My sister and I do a lot of stuff together, our two families, on the weekends and stuff. So one of the reasons I bought this is because it fits her family and mine. So rather than taking two vehicles to the lake, we take one."

A vigilante trend of deflating SUV and pickup tires in the name of environmental protection appears to have arrived in Edmonton with one victim calling it "frustrating."

09/28/2022

Hopefully it doesn't rain.

09/23/2022

Canadians who drive may notice that in the coming months, their car insurance may be costing them a lot more, with a potential increase of up to 12 per cent with some providers.

The experts at Ratesdotca told news outlets like CTV Toronto this week that fees at a number of companies have already spiked, and will continue to do so.

The pressures of inflation are taking a toll on every aspect of daily life in Canada this year, with the price of groceries, takeout, transportatio...