Joyful Friday! It is September 12, 2025, and that is The Morning Shift — your every day roundup of the highest automotive headlines from all over the world, in a single place. That is the place you may discover a very powerful tales which might be shaping the way in which Individuals drive and get round.
On this morning’s version, we’re trying on the newest large cargo ship to get caught, in addition to the fallout from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s raid on the Hyundai-LG battery plant. We’ll additionally have a look at Canada’s evolving strategy to worldwide commerce, and Rivian’s newest recall.
1st Gear: Died 1845, born 2025, welcome again Franklin Expedition
We’re followers of a large boat caught story, and we have got a terrific one: The cargo ship MV Thamesborg ran aground final Saturday within the Northwest Passage, as a result of apparently all of us reside in 1845 now and wish to fret about our ships making it by means of the Arctic. A minimum of there is a plan to take care of this one, which is healthier than Sir John Franklin’s expedition ever bought. From Nunatsiaq Information:
A plan to salvage the cargo ship Thamesborg is underway after the Canadian Coast Guard accomplished aerial and remote-operated car surveys of the vessel, which sits grounded within the Franklin Strait.
The 172-metre Dutch cargo ship, owned by Royal Wagenborg, ran aground Saturday whereas transiting the Northwest Passage on its solution to Baie Comeau, Que., from Asia. It was carrying carbon blocks for industrial use.
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An replace issued by the corporate late Thursday stated the ship stays steady and there’s a plan for a salvage grasp and naval architect to hitch Thamesborg by the top of the week.
Franklin’s ships have been named Erebus (the Greek deity of darkness) and Terror, and I think about his sailors encountered each. Thamesborg appears to roughly imply “paying bail cash to the river Thames,” which I think about shouldn’t be a state of affairs the crew of the Thamesborg will run into. Most likely not, not less than.
2nd Gear: ICE raid delays Georgia Hyundai-LG battery plant
ICE’s raid on Hyundai’s new battery plant is probably finest described as a fiasco. The group had warrants for 4 individuals, it arrested 475, and now 300 South Koreans have returned house — unlikely to grace American soil once more any time quickly. That final half is proving tough for Hyundai, because it nonetheless wants individuals to place its manufacturing unit collectively. From the Wall Avenue Journal:
The U.S. authorities’s immigration raid on Hyundai Motor’s Georgia battery plant website will set again development by two or three months, in line with Chief Government José Muñoz.
“All these individuals need to get again” house, Muñoz stated Thursday on the sidelines of an automotive convention in Detroit. Greater than 300 Koreans have been launched early Thursday and departed noon from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.
However the experience these staff and contract employees had cannot be simply changed, Muñoz stated. “That you must see how will you fill these positions? After which, for probably the most half, these persons are not within the U.S.”
A lot of the problem right here appears to boil right down to the American visa system, which is probably finest described as “dangerous.” The South Korean employees had visas, however American authorities stated they weren’t fairly the proper visas for the work the Koreans have been doing. Thus, 475 individuals have been actually chained up and led onto buses.
third Gear: Canada needs commerce companions that are not us
America has lengthy been the key car market in North America, by easy gross sales quantity alone. However that is altering, because of our tariffs, and now Canada needs to make sure that our complete commerce battle would not affect our northern neighbors’ capability to get European automobiles. From Automotive Information Canada:
Certainly one of Canada’s prime commerce officers used a visit this week to Germany and the U.Ok. to strengthen ties with the nations as a solution to offset tense commerce relations with the US.
“The U.S. would not seem like a dependable associate within the close to future, and that brings us to the EU and the U.Ok. as we glance to develop funding,” Vic Fedeli, Ontario minister of financial, job creation and commerce, informed Automotive Information Europe.
Fedeli, who was in Germany for the IAA Munich auto present in addition to a number of conferences with enterprise and political leaders, is bullish about protecting the momentum his province has achieved following latest strikes made by Stellantis and Volkswagen Group that profit Ontario.
Canada, please, undertake EU requirements for automobiles. Put extra strain on us to swap out our laws. You can also make the automotive world higher right here.
4th Gear: Oh hey, a recall that is not Ford
It is recall time once more, however hold these drinks sealed — this one is not from Ford. It is Rivian’s flip at bat, recalling over 24,000 R1S and R1T SUVs and vehicles for points with the freeway driving help software program. Apparently crashing whereas working driver help software program is dangerous. From Reuters:
Rivian is recalling 24,214 R1S and R1T electrical automobiles because of a software program defect which will trigger its hands-free Freeway Help system to misidentify lead automobiles, the U.S. Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration stated on Friday.
The difficulty impacts sure 2025 Rivian automobiles working an older software program model in the US, the NHTSA stated.
Rivian has issued an over-the-air software program replace to repair the issue, the NHTSA added.
The defect was recognized after an incident involving a 2025 R1S mannequin car, the place the system misclassified a low-speed car and the motive force failed to keep up management.
Fortunately, that is the type of recall that is straightforward on house owners. Your Rivian downloads an replace, and that is it — downside solved. No marvel automakers are so bullish on software program.
Reverse: The fifth component
Bonus On The Radio gear this morning! I noticed Sammus carry out within the basement of a used ebook retailer in Rochester, NY as soon as. Nice present.
On The Radio: Well being – ‘Unusual Loss’
Yesterday was, certainly, a Huge Jueves. New Well being on the way in which, and I am excited.