Hertz will scan your rental return with AI

[eljefino]

... for damage, of course.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a65176049/hertz-ai-scan-rental-car-damage/

IDK, at least it would verify you actually returned your car, something their human clerks can't 100% process correctly.

And if Enterprise did it, they'd wait for someone who didn't get the insurance, then stick them with all the dents that happened since the last uninsured renter.

 

[Hall]

That's not AI. This technology has existed for decades too.

 

[Ethan2]

That's not AI. This technology has existed for decades too.

Tell me that you don’t know anything about UVeye without telling me that you don’t know anything about UVeye

 

[BobsArmory]

I wonder how much money they will make on false positives.

 

[dcd]

My Chevy dealership uses this system when servicing vehicles. It is extremely sensitive.

My truck is practically new (less than 5k miles) and it found what I consider to be 8 false positives. Most of them were mistaking the PPF for a scratch. A couple of small “dents” were detected that I could not discern.

Of the screen full of 20-20 vehicles on the kiosk display, mine had by far the fewest issues detected.

 

[JustinH]

Enterprise took us to the cleaners on a long term rental they rented with hail damage and claimed we did it. There was no rain that week.

 

[andrew_j]

Enterprise took us to the cleaners on a long term rental they rented with hail damage and claimed we did it. There was no rain that week.

That sucks. Never an issue for me however I take a before video and after of car when returning

 

[We're Metals]

I got something else they can scan with AI

 

[nthach]

Aye, sounds like Hertz is scrounging for revenue. If this rolls out at their Uber/Doordash hubs(usually a bigger HLE location), easy money.

 

[John105]

... for damage, of course.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a65176049/hertz-ai-scan-rental-car-damage/

IDK, at least it would verify you actually returned your car, something their human clerks can't 100% process correctly.

And if Enterprise did it, they'd wait for someone who didn't get the insurance, then stick them with all the dents that happened since the last uninsured renter.

I rented a car at RDU. I didn't check it we were in a hurry to get to Fayetteville. After we got done that day at work, the rear right was dented. Trying to call to tell anyone was useless, it truly was, call going offshore, etc.

I drove like 1 hr 15 back to RDU to tell someone this car was dented when I got it. Nobody cared, they told me you be ok, don't worry it's documented. I said nah I'd like another car I don't want my co. getting charged for damage, they said aiyitte and gave me another car. It's truly a bad situation and like you say, chances are, if you're an honest person, the person before and after you are not and you could get pinched.

 

[Owen Lucas]

That sucks. Never an issue for me however I take a before video and after of car when returning

THIS.

I take a very detailed 4K video of the vehicle before I pick it up and when I return it, preferably in front of the rental employee.

• All body panels (with flashlight on for night / parking deck environment)
  • Multiple angles
  • Straight on side view to see dings and dents
  • Point to any damage in the video
  • Roof
  • Underside of front bumper
• Look for stone chips on the windshield
• Curb rash on wheels
• VIN tag
• Fuel level
• Interior, including inside center console and trunk

Budget tried to get me once weeks after a vehicle return claiming fender damage. Their vague estimate was 2 lines IIRC, body damage $450, and Admin fee $150. The persons name on the report was from the Philippines it seemed but you could not get in touch with them via phone as the number went to a call center and they would not respond via email.

I had to call the customer service number which routes you to Jamaica, possibly Nicaragua / Egypt, and the Philippines depending on the time of day. I explained I have before and after videos and the reps said they'll mark it off. I still received 2 more letters in the mail claiming the same damage over the next few weeks. I had to call back twice until the dispute was resolved.


My theory is that rental companies fabricate some minor damage claims to pressure customers into buying their insurance coverage.

Think about it, if you ran a rental car company and hired consultants to determine an algorithm that would increase profit by possibly making up fake damages, wouldn't you implement it? The strategy relies on customers wanting to avoid the annoying process of disputing damages, which could potentially increase insurance purchases. Wouldn't a shrewd executive implement such a strategy? Bake errors into the process such as understaffing or a difficult / unwieldly check in procedure so you can't say it's intentional. Much worse consumer behavior has and is occurring.


The moral of the story here though is DON'T RENT FROM HERTZ and be careful with the other rental companies.

 

[Brons2]

Will it also scan the gas tank? I got scammed in Oakland about this. Tank was read at 1/4 and I got auto-charged a bunch of money. I had to upload documentation proving that I had filled up the vehicle right before I turned it in, which I had done directly across the freeway from the airport, not an experience I would like to repeat, but anyway.

 

[supton]

Sounds like it's not worth renting cars. I suppose it's only minutes to video the car when picking up... but do you have to video it with the clerk in it, or scan the papers you signed, so that it's legit? How do they know that you didn't make the vid just before turning in?

 

[Owen Lucas]

Sounds like it's not worth renting cars. I suppose it's only minutes to video the car when picking up... but do you have to video it with the clerk in it, or scan the papers you signed, so that it's legit? How do they know that you didn't make the vid just before turning in?

When you are recording the vehicle in the parking deck / right outside the rental car office and the mileage matches the documents you were given before you drove away, it would be hard to dispute this was a check in video. You don't need to have the clerk on the check-in video, but it helps when you are returning the car as they are all over the return lane when returning at the airport. I'd say it would be helpful to ask the lane clerks when you are returning, "do you see any damage on the car?", have that on audio at least.

I'm going to try Enterprise next time. I rent through Costco so I also cc'd [email protected] with my last budget issue and Costco got back to me faster than budget. I think they pulled some strings with that issue (empty car on arrival, wouldn't reimburse me for fill up) and I got paid $150 to fill their tank lol.

 

[dubber09]

Somehow my eyes played a joke on me on first read of the title where 'rental return' turned into 'rectum'... All I thought at that point was, huh, Hertz is up to another weird thing, then I reread it....

 

[andrew_j]

Sounds like it's not worth renting cars. I suppose it's only minutes to video the car when picking up... but do you have to video it with the clerk in it, or scan the papers you signed, so that it's legit? How do they know that you didn't make the vid just before turning in?

99% time it works out fine.

I don’t spend much time on video however I do film wife’s Home Screen with date/time and car in background and continue to car. It’s basically the walk around so I know if I added damage during my rental vs preexisting.

 

[xspeedy]

I didn’t read every post, but I always inspect and photograph a rental at pickup and drop off. Includes interior and exterior as well as odometer. I haven’t had an issue with damage claims, but I have my own documentation just in case.

 

[tbm5690]

I just drove through one of these scanners on Sunday when leaving Hertz with a rental. They are deployed and in action already apparently.

 

[nthach]

Sounds like it's not worth renting cars. I suppose it's only minutes to video the car when picking up... but do you have to video it with the clerk in it, or scan the papers you signed, so that it's legit? How do they know that you didn't make the vid just before turning in?

I usually never rent a car in my travels… if there’s good, usable public transit or if I have access to a car.

Last time I rented one, Hertz at LA Union Station, it was $120/day. All inclusive. Renting cars legit scares me with an agent trying to ding me.

 

[supton]

I usually never rent a car in my travels… if there’s good, usable public transit or if I have access to a car.

Last time I rented one, Hertz at LA Union Station, it was $120/day. All inclusive. Renting cars legit scares me with an agent trying to ding me.

I know my wife rented a car a few years ago, and we did once in England, but otherwise, I myself rented a car once 15 years ago as mine was in the shop and I needed to get home. Wasn't a bad experience, but renting once in my life isn't enough for me to know how it works.

These days I rarely travel but yes, public transit or just drive my own car if I do, least worries.