A “longtime” Hertz buyer says he’s “done” with the automobile rental firm after he claimed that the AI-powered injury detection system improperly flagged a nonexistent mark on the automobile — though video that he filmed instantly afterwards appeared to again up his declare.
“After 10 years as a loyal Hertz customer — hardly any issues, always returning cars in great condition — I’m done,” the client, a Reddit consumer who goes by the identify Akkasca, wrote on the massaging board web site final week. Akkasca didn’t specify how a lot he was requested to pay by Hertz to cowl the injury.
Akkasca’s story follows different Hertz prospects who’ve stated in current weeks that they had been charged a number of hundred {dollars} for minor scrapes and scuffs that had been detected by the AI scanner.
When indignant prospects sought to dispute the declare, they had been unable to instantly attain a customer support rep.
“This system is broken, and the lack of human accountability is infuriating,” Akkasca, whose ordeal was first reported by the information web site Carscoops, wrote on Reddit.
Akkasca wrote that he rented a automobile from the Hertz location at George Bush Intercontinental Airport close to Houston.
In line with the account, issues started instantly after driving by means of Hertz’s automated return scanner.
“Just minutes later, while heading upstairs to catch the airport shuttle, I received a text from Hertz: ‘Damage detected,’” the client wrote.
“I clicked the link and, concerned, got off the shuttle with all my luggage and went back downstairs to inspect the vehicle.”
Upon inspection, the client stated he discovered no proof of injury.
“The supposed damage area? Completely fine. No visible damage whatsoever. I even recorded a video on the spot to document the condition of the car,” they said.
When the client sought help on the Hertz location, he stated that the employees was unable to handle his considerations.
“To make matters worse, no one at the Hertz location could help. Employees and managers all pointed fingers at the ‘AI scanner’ and told me to contact customer support — they claimed they had no control over the damage claim.”
The shopper initially believed he would be capable of resolve the matter by means of Hertz’s dispute course of.
“So I figured, no worries. I have a video. I’ll dispute it later. I have a flight to catch,” they wrote.
Nonetheless, he reported encountering obstacles when trying to dispute the declare.
“The link they send you does NOT allow you to submit a dispute. Calling customer support? Useless. They said they can’t do anything, even when I told them I have clear video evidence of the car being undamaged at the exact time the damage was claimed,” he wrote.
The shopper additionally famous what he perceived as inconsistencies within the AI system’s efficiency.
“To make thing worse i noticed damage in another area with the clear sticker the AI didn’t even pick up as previous damage! Its A JOKE. If you look below the rear tail light you can see the giant scratch the AI does not even pick up.”
He questioned whether or not environmental situations could have affected the scanner’s accuracy.
“Did the AI scanner misinterpret water reflections or dirt on the black car as damage? But there’s no way to even present that possibility, no path to defend yourself. It’s an unchallengeable, automated accusation.”
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In a follow-up put up, the client stated that he lastly managed to get by means of to Hertz company and that he was ultimately related to the claims division.
“According to the claims department, the damage claim has been denied/dismissed, and I will not be responsible for any charges,” he wrote.
Regardless of the decision, the client outlined a number of ongoing considerations about Hertz’s course of — describing what he referred to as a damaged dispute system, stating: “The link provided to dispute the claim sends you in an endless loop” and “does not allow you to submit any actual dispute.”
The Put up has sought remark from Hertz and the Reddit consumer.
Final week, the corporate instructed The Put up that the scanner “only detects billable damage.”
Hertz has defended the know-how, saying that “the vast majority of rentals are incident-free” and that “when damage does occur, our goal is to enhance the rental experience by bringing greater transparency, precision, and speed to the process.”
Hertz makes use of the UVeye scanners at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, Charlotte Douglas, Houston George Bush, Newark Liberty, Phoenix Sky Harbor and Tampa Worldwide.
The corporate plans to broaden the service to 100 areas by the tip of 2025.
