InvestigateTV+ Weekend: AI changing how rental cars are inspected
Season 6, Episode 1
(InvestigateTV) — AI is changing how rental cars are inspected. But Rachel DePompa found when a system flags damage, renters can be left fighting a bill they don’t understand.
Plus, when the power goes out, the clock starts – for food, medical equipment and daily life.
Then, utilities are using smart meters to see where the grid is failing and respond more quickly.
Rental car AI scanners flag alleged damage
Several rental car companies are now using high-tech AI scanners to check cars for damage the moment they are returned.
While these systems are supposed to make things faster and more accurate, many customers are finding themselves stuck with huge bills for small dents and scrapes that the computer flagged.
National Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa caught up with two women who’ve been fighting these “robot charges” for months. We are looking into how this technology works, which companies are using it, and most importantly, how you can protect your wallet from a surprise charge.
Smart meters are modernizing electric grids
The power grid is under more pressure than ever — from extreme weather, growing demand, and equipment that, in many places, is decades old.
Now, utilities are betting on “smart meters” to give them faster notice of outages and a clearer picture of what’s happening on the grid.
Heather Graf looks at whether the technology can help get the power back on sooner.
New material to make lithium-ion batteries safer
Lithium-ion batteries power the devices we depend on every day – from phones and toys to power tools and electric vehicles. But when a battery fails, firefighters say a fast-moving fire can follow.
Ann Emmerich looks at a family’s close call – and a promising effort to make the batteries inside our homes safer.
Fake businesses are a real problem
Starting a business is easier than ever, but some crooks are using that same convenience to create companies built on someone else’s name and home address. And victims may not know until bills or credit notices start arriving.
In Arizona, officials say complaints about fraudulent LLCs have been climbing.
Susan Campbell shows us how the scheme works – and a new verification step designed to make it harder.
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