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Posted on 07/28/2025 3:49:28 PM PDT by Openurmind
Back in April, the rental car company Hertz announced that it would be using UVeye, an AI damage scanning hardward and software system from a former defense contractor of the same name, to check its cars for damage after they were returned.
It didn't take long for problems to arise. As our sister site The Drive reported last month, customers soon started complaining that Hertz was charging them hundreds of dollars for minor cosmetic scuffs that would have been shrugged off by a human employee, or in some cases for phantom damage when none was visible at all.
As much as Hertz wants the storm to pass, anecdotal reports make it sound like the system is still a disaster — and one that's alienating customers even as other rental providers eye similarly divisive tech.
In a post on the r/HertzRentals subreddit, one user insisted they were "done" with the agency after UVeye flagged nonexistent dings when they returned their rental.
After renting a car for a week from a Hertz location at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, the user said that they were alerted that UVeye had flagged some apparent damage on the vehicle. When they checked the car, however, there was nothing visible.
Perturbed by the apparent mistake, the user tried to speak to employees and managers at the Hertz counter, but none were able to help, and all "pointed fingers at the 'AI scanner.'" They were told to contact customer support — but even that proved futile after representatives claimed they "can’t do anything."
"Did the AI scanner [misinterpret] water reflections or dirt on the black car as damage?" they pondered. "There’s no way to even present that possibility, no path to defend yourself. It’s an unchallengeable, automated accusation."
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I agree!!! I actually quit a trucking company I was working for years ago because they were charging drivers for “old damage” that never occurred that trip. And they wanted me as the maintenance manager to put my name on the scam... Nope, see ya...
Reminds me of a Seinfeld episode
“Is not Hertz also the company that will report your valid rental as a stolen car to the police?”
Yes, they are.
This is a huge exposure to “AI” customer service. Oh, it’s great customer service as measured from the vendor side because there is no process escape, except ceasing to do business with them. There is no source code to point to in a lawsuit that says “charge random customers” or “deny 95% of claims” — the cheating was in the training data set of what they thought were successfully handled interactions. Plausible deniability, no human being to testify or blame — what’s not to like? The person who authorized it is never going to be held responsible. As I’ve said, thats a feature of AI, not a bug. Not expensive AI necessarily, but what consumers are faced with
I used to run a workflow management initiative at a big computer company chip design organization, and making sure any mistake in chip design was not repeated was the biggest thing. Chip mistakes even back then cost millions during development and billions if they made it into customer systems.
Real Intelligence SEEKs to learn from the process exceptions and “escape conditions” and get bad news dealt with fast and for everyone exposed, not make there no place to report them.
Maybe we should call most of what we get from AI now “ersatz intelligence” — a cheap substitute for intelligence that noone will mistake for the real thing.
“This is a huge exposure to “AI” customer service. Oh, it’s great customer service as measured from the vendor side because there is no process escape, except ceasing to do business with them. There is no source code to point to in a lawsuit that says “charge random customers” or “deny 95% of claims” — the cheating was in the training data set of what they thought were successfully handled interactions. Plausible deniability, no human being to testify or blame — what’s not to like? The person who authorized it is never going to be held responsible. As I’ve said, thats a feature of AI, not a bug.”
Absolutely. Plausible deniability by design. It is the new “computer error” everyone used as an excuse for years now. They should be just as responsible for AI liabiliy as they would be for employee liability. And this greed is why they had Trump give them complete legal immunity.
If Hertz is going to do this, then before you sign the papers & get the car, insist that it is pre-inspected with the same thing thing they use for post-inspection. That might slow things down a bit. If this is only Hertz...I guess there are other choices out there.
Look up some of the stories about Hertz one Lehto’s Law on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/@stevelehto
Hertz is run by idiots. They were facing bankruptcy so they bought a fleet of EV’s and were shock when no one wanted to rent them
Joe in Customer Support: “We can’t do anything. You’ve got to talk to Joyce in Customer Relations.”
Joyce in Customer Relations: “Joe sent you here? Why that idiot. I can’t help you. Try Customer Support again.”
Rajiv in Customer Support: “No, you want to talk to the store where you returned your car. They can help you.”
Rental Store: “Not our problem. Call the UVEye Department.”
And around and around you go,
I take time stamped photos of all sides and existing damages on a car when I rent. It has saved me many times.
Yes.
They've also sworn out arrest warrants on customers that have already returned their vehicle.
In at least one case, the woman was arrested by police 3 times for the same "theft" because Hertz kept filing theft complaints.
Hertz called me to represent them on a series of RV tax shelter cases they were losing as I won the case for my client. I turned them down.
I do exactly that. Twice in the UK I've been scammed with fraudulent damage claims by car rental agencies. I've since come to learn that it's a common business practice over there. Now if I rent a car the first thing I do is walk around it and take about 20 pictures from every angle. I do the same when I turn it in, making sure the representatives see me doing it. It just keeps everyone honest. So far I haven't needed to use the pictures but they're just in case.
A good friend got scammed in Germany to the tune of $2000 by Hertz over a fake damage claim. Beware of this if renting in Europe or the UK, it seems to be an accepted way of doing business there. Always take before and after pictures.
I have, too. Pissed me off and I called him on it.
When I rent something, I do a detailed 360 video to prevent any misunderstanding.
Well atleast we could personally call them on it. With AI there is no one to personally confront and they will blame it on the machine and not take responsibility for it after the fact.
Huh?
Excellent... Dirt money is no good.
Hertz chased me away with their lousy customer service.
Using a robot to inspect cars for damage is just another reason for me to avoid Hertz and their sub-brands.
With this along with previous insults to renters such as reporting rentals stolen and ending up with renters being arrested, I don’t understand why anyone rents from Hurtz. There are plenty of other fish in the sea.
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