Strike Over (For Now?), Helene Pressures Used Market, Rivians and Ray-Ban’s, Oh My

The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier

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As we near the end of the week, there’s been some resolution to the port strike, but it looks like Helene will have lingering effects on the used car market. Meanwhile, Rivians are reportedly still functioning fine after floods and Ray-Bans are being used to scrape your personal information.

Show Notes with links:

• A crippling three-day strike by U.S. dock workers has ended with a tentative agreement, reopening ports on the East and Gulf Coasts. However, unresolved issues could spark future disruptions.
  • Union and port operators agreed to extend their contract until January 2025, with more negotiations expected.
  • Dock workers secured a tentative 62% wage hike over six years, raising wages from $39 to $63 an hour.
  • The strike halted 45 container ships and affected 36 ports, threatening shortages of goods like bananas and auto parts.
  • While the deal ends the immediate work stoppage, automation concerns that could lead to job losses remain unresolved.
• Hurricane Helene has left widespread destruction across the Southeast, and the storm’s aftermath is likely to push both new and used car prices up as consumers scramble to replace damaged vehicles.
  • Used car demand is expected to rise sharply, particularly for low-cost options under $10,000, which are already hard to find.
  • "This will jack up used car prices when everybody is already paying overprice," warns Cox Automotive’s Skyler Chadwick.
  • Dealers are facing a shrinking inventory, forcing them to "get creative" with sourcing strategies to meet the surging demand.
  • Fixed operations departments are expected to see increased business, as many water-damaged vehicles will require repairs. "It is a revenue source when stuff like this happens," notes Don Monda of Proctor Dealerships.
• A Rivian R1T submerged in Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic flood waters still functions, showcasing the robust engineering behind electric vehicles.
  • The Rivian was found 100 yards from where it was parked, fully covered in mud and floodwater.
  • Despite being engulfed by floodwaters, the R1T started up, with no apparent issues after being fast-charged.
  • Rivian credits the truck's water-sealed battery packs and advanced isolation monitoring for its survival.
• Two Harvard students demonstrated a troubling new way to misuse consumer tech, using Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses paired with facial recognition and AI to expose privacy risks.
  • The students used the glasses to capture images of strangers, then matched them with online facial recognition software.
  • They built a program, I-XRAY, that gathered personal data from the internet within minutes, including addresses and family details.
  • They emphasized they wouldn’t release the program, but instead aimed to highlight privacy concerns around tech and AI, warning, "With the right tools, like artificial intelligence, it’s easier, faster, and potentially

Hosts: Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
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