Thursday’s Headlines Are a Hacker’s Dream
Electric vehicles are creating a whole new level of security and privacy risks that no one is prepared to deal with.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on September 14, 2023
- Electric vehicles are pretty much smartphones on wheels, which means they’re pretty easy to hack into. (The Atlantic)
- An extinct volcano in the Western U.S. could hold by far the world’s largest supply of lithium. (Independent)
- Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm toured the South in an EV, and it didn’t always go so smoothly. In fact, at one point her staff tried to use a gas-powered SUV to reserve a charger for her, blocking a waiting family from using it (NPR). Whatever the challenges, she did manage to arrive promptly for a stop in Athens, Georgia (Flagpole).
- In an effort to combat sexual assaults, Lyft introduced a new feature allowing female passengers to connect with only female drivers. (New York Times)
- The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority says it will be forced to raise fares to $3 and cut transit service unless the state government ponies up. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
- Twin Cities Metro Transit employees voted to authorize a strike as they seek higher wages, citing a shortage of workers as proof that pay is too low. (Minnesota Public Radio)
- The Kansas City streetcar extension reached the halfway milestone. (KMBC)
- Houston is removing “floating” bus stops that were supposed to make it easier for bike riders to navigate shared bike and bus lanes, but cyclists apparently grew too frustrated that drivers never figured them out. (KHOU)
- Drivers in Milwaukee are also apparently too dumb to tell a bike lane from a loading zone. (Fox 6)
- Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared another gas-tax holiday (Recorder) despite evidence that drivers won’t see much difference at the pump because oil companies and gas station owners will simply pocket the difference.
- This week in “drivers running into buildings,” a car crash caused an explosion that forced the evacuation of six houses near Syracuse. (Localsyr)
- Tulsa Transit hit an all-time high in ridership last month. (KTUL)
- In light of news that Chicago will receive a $2 million federal grant for the Red Line, Classic Chicago Magazine examines how the city has always been shaped by railroads.
- Tyler Vigen got really obsessed with a random pedestrian bridge over a freeway in Minneapolis, and he finally solved the mystery of why it’s there.
Blake Aued has been doing Streetsblog's daily national news digest for years. He's also an Atlanta Braves fan, which enrages his editor in New York.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
When Are Parking Debates Just A Smokescreen for Hate?
A new paper finds that mosques are more likely to face pushback over parking than other houses of worship. What should planners do about it?
October 20, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Do the Robot
Cities and states are filling the void, but the feds really need to step in to set rules for autonomous vehicles.
October 20, 2026
Why US Roads Are Full of SUVs and Trucks, Part I
Everyone says that Americans just love SUVs and pick-ups. But is that really true — or are there solvable structural reasons why our streets look like a monster truck rally?
October 19, 2026
Aging in Place Is a Mobility Problem, Too
How Spain is going the extra mile to help seniors age in place, even if doing it is an uphill climb.
October 19, 2026
Monday’s Headlines Are On the Ballot
Will you have an opportunity to fund transit when you go to the polls on November 3?
October 19, 2026
