Hertz will scan your rental return with AI

[andrew_j]

I think it might be a great idea if self service on way in and you scans you in . I feel weird leaving keys and wondering when inspection is done and what happened between. Also should be on exit.

 

[Cujet]

In my aviation career, I often rented 2 or 3 times per week.

Hertz finally got me. Jeep Grand Cherokee V6, I bent the LF rim and destroyed the tire, along with popping the lower ball joint, by hitting a curb type median in terrible weather at 35MPH. No body damage, $22,000. My CC paid half. The rest were bogus charges and the CC refused to pay. My company refused to pay. Sickening charges, a full 10x what they should be.

 

[dishdude]

I just drove through one of these AI machines at the Austin airport picking up a rental Envista earlier. Curious to see if anything happens upon return. It's under a corporate agreement that includes LDW so I doubt anything will happen.

 

[dishdude]

https://www.carscoops.com/2025/07/hertz-ai-damage-bills-surprise-renters/

 

[gfh77665]

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.

I take a pic of the gas gauge and odometer and whole instrument cluster before I drive off. I also take a pic walking up to the car, just to document the pickup time, and one when I am driving away that include the windshield view to document I was just leaving the parking lot.

 

[tbm5690]

Made the return through the scanner today, no charges after 1,300 miles of driving. Win!

 

[nthach]

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.

Yea, I’m in Portland once a year to visit friends and I have access to bikes - TriMet isn’t bad at all, they live near one of their busiest routes that has buses picking up every 5-15 minutes and I can be at PDX in 20 minutes via transit. Never needed to rent a car in Philly, Seattle and NYC and last time I was in SoCal(Long Beach), I was near the core of downtown and LA Metro/Long Beach Transit served fairly well.

 

[dishdude]

https://www.carscoops.com/2025/07/hertz-ai-complaints-are-spreading-faster-than-the-damage-it-flags/