Car hire companies are rolling out new AI tools to detect even the tiniest scratches, leaving customers outraged over the “aggressive” new technology.
Developed by UVeye, the automated scanning system captures thousands of high-resolution images from every angle of the vehicle at both pickup and return, which are then compared to spot any damage.
UVeye’s website boasts that the technology can “detect 5X more damage than manual checks” and can generate “6X higher total value of damage captured.”
Hertz, one of the world’s largest car rental companies, has introduced the system at five U.S. airports, following its debut at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport last fall.
An automatic damage report is created, and an employee reviews the report only if a customer flags an issue after receiving the bill, Hertz spokeswoman Emily Spencer told The New York Times.
Just three percent of vehicles scanned through the UVeye system showed billable damage, she said.
Renters fear they’ll be hit with hefty fees for damage as small as a scratch.
Over the Fourth of July weekend, Kelly Rogers and her husband rented a minivan from Hertz at Atlanta airport to travel about 150 miles to a family wedding in Birmingham, Alabama.
The drive to and from the airport went smoothly, they told The Times, and upon inspecting the car at drop-off, the couple said they saw no damage.
They said a Hertz employee also inspected the minivan and found nothing.
After passing through airport security, they received a message via their Hertz app: the AI system detected a dent on the passenger-side door.
Rogers said she was charged $80 for the damage on top of the $115 in fees, which included “processing” the claim and the “cost to detect and estimate the damage.” Hertz offered to reduce the $195 charge to $130 if they paid within 24 hours, the couple said.
“It could have been a shadow,” she said. “We were pulling it up on the app, and we’re like, ‘This is so bananas.’”
Hertz spokesperson Spencer said that Hertz inspected the so-called damage and confirmed it as a new dent.
Spencer said that the company, which plans to roll out the scanners at more than 100 U.S. airports, uses the technology to ensure customers “are not charged for damage that didn’t occur during their rental.”
Another customer, Patrick, rented a Volkswagen from Hertz-owned Thrifty at Atlanta Airport and told The Drive that he received a bill just “minutes” after dropping off the car.
He returned the car with a one-inch scuff on the rear wheel and charged $440 for the damage and processing fee. He, too, was offered a discount if he paid the fee quickly.
“Saving $30 to accept responsibility is not worth it,” he told the outlet.
Adam Foley condemned Hertz’s “aggressive AI use” on LinkedIn and claimed that he was charged $350 for slight damage to the vehicle's roof and fender.
“Enjoy the one-time cash grab with customers. I will never rent at Hertz while this policy continues,” he wrote.
Sixt, another vehicle rental company, uses a different AI-supported tool called Car Gate. Avis Budget Group and Zipcar reportedly tested AI damage scanning technology as early as 2019, according to The Times.
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