Customers of Hertz have expressed frustration over being billed hundreds of dollars for small scratches and dents identified by the company’s new AI scanner. Interestingly, few have attempted to dispute these charges.
One customer, Patrick, had rented a Volkswagen from Hertz’s Slifty rental at the Atlanta airport. Shortly after returning the car, he was hit with a charge of $440 due to a one-inch scratch on one of the wheels. This included a $250 repair fee, a $125 “processing” charge, and $65 for “management.”
Upon logging into Hertz’s app, Patrick found photo evidence of the damage as flagged by the Uveye scanner.
He mentioned that he was offered discounts for quick payment—$52 off if he settled within two days or $32.50 off if he paid within a week. But he hesitated, feeling that “it’s not worth saving $30 to accept responsibility.”
When he tried to discuss this further with customer service, he found the process challenging. Customers are mainly directed to a web portal where they can view the scanner’s photos, but options for raising concerns seem limited. While chatbots can flag issues for review, they offer no live human interaction.
Patrick added that even support via email can take up to 10 days for a response.
An aggrieved Reddit user shared a similar experience, mentioning they received an automatic bill of $195 upon returning a car to Hertz’s Atlanta location. They expressed dissatisfaction with customer service claiming they’d adhere to AI-generated assessments.
Many complaints focus on the lack of clarity regarding how fees are determined. Hertz claims that processing fees reflect “costs for detecting and estimating damages,” while management fees cover some additional costs. However, customers find this explanation vague, especially when they can’t challenge the fees in real-time.
In a statement, Hertz defended the scanner system, asserting that “the majority of rentals are safe,” and that they aim to enhance rental experiences by increasing accuracy and transparency.
Nevertheless, some customers perceive the AI systems as prioritizing revenue over fairness, arguing that the technology’s immediate generation of charges—with limited avenues for recourse—feels more like pressure than true transparency.
This year, Hertz announced a partnership with Uveye, an Israeli firm that specializes in rapid vehicle inspections, marketing their technology as “vehicle MRI.” By the end of the year, Hertz plans to have over 100 such scanners operating in U.S. airports.
The scanners are capable of detecting a range of damages before and after rentals, performing full-body vehicle scans. While Hertz is the only major rental company heavily utilizing this system, Uveye’s technology already serves clients like General Motors, Hyundai, Amazon, and Carmax across various automotive sectors.
With Uveye reportedly consulting with other rental agencies, broader adoption of this technology might be on the horizon.
Hertz has faced controversies before, including misleading charges related to electric vehicle rentals and significant fees for “unlimited miles.” In 2022, a group of customers sued Hertz after being wrongfully arrested for vehicles they owned.
Comments were requested from both Hertz and Uveye.
