Car rental technology is supposed to make life easier, but for some Hertz customers, it has done the opposite.
The company’s new high-tech vehicle scanners—designed to spot damage automatically—have sparked a wave of complaints after issuing costly fees for scratches, dents, and scuffs that renters insist they didn’t cause.
How the Scanners Work
Hertz rolled out these futuristic systems at six U.S. airports, equipping cars with thousands of cameras and LED strips to scan vehicles from every angle.
The technology, developed in partnership with Israeli AI startup UVeye, was intended to improve safety and ensure accurate damage detection, analyzing undercarriages and tire treads that often slip past human inspectors.
Customers Face Unexpected Bills
Despite these lofty goals, renters say the scanners have gone rogue.
In one case, a Navy sailor named Nadia returned her sedan in Atlanta and received a $935 bill hours later—$500 for alleged damage and $435 in fees.
The system had flagged two minor dents she insisted were never caused during her rental.
After her story gained attention, Hertz dropped the charges—but she’s far from the only customer caught in this technological trap.
Other Renters Share Their Struggles
Adam Foley was charged $285 for two tiny blemishes on his rented Buick.
A collision repair expert later reviewed Hertz’s images and said the “damage” could easily have been a reflection or smudge, not an actual dent.
Other customers reported fines ranging from $190 for a minor dent in Atlanta to $440 for a small scuff on a wheel, and some struggled to reach Hertz representatives to contest the charges.
Hertz Acknowledges Mistakes
For months, Hertz defended the scanners as a tool to enhance vehicle safety.
Now, the company has admitted to the Daily Mail that errors can occur, though it claims these are “the exception.”
Hertz CEO Gil West emphasized that the technology aims to bring precision, objectivity, and transparency to damage inspections, contrasting with decades of frustrating manual assessments.
The Business Case Behind the Technology
The scanners aren’t just about accuracy—they’re about finances.
Hertz has been losing hundreds of millions per quarter, partly due to its fleet of rapidly depreciating vehicles.
Protecting car values is central to the company’s turnaround, and tools like UVeye are seen as a way to reduce losses and return the company to profitability.
A Trend Across the Rental Industry
Hertz isn’t alone in adopting automated damage detection.
Other rental giants, including Sixt, Enterprise, and potentially Avis, are also rolling out similar technology worldwide.
Early adopters have faced growing pains, with customers reporting surprise charges for pre-existing or negligible damage.
As the technology expands, renters may continue to grapple with unexpected fees and a fight to prove their innocence.
