Hertz’s AI doesn’t care who you are. And it doesn’t bother to tell the difference between real damage and imaginary scratches. Since April 2025, the company has been rolling out “intelligent” scanners in its parking lots, selling them as a breakthrough for quick, impartial inspections of rental cars. In theory, fewer disputes and more transparency. In practice? A machine that snaps every tiny imperfection and turns it into an expensive bill.
One customer was charged $440 for a one-inch scuff on a wheel: $250 for the “repair,” $125 for a “processing fee,” and another $65 for “administrative costs.” We’re not talking about a torn-off bumper, but a barely visible mark. The scanners, built by UVeye, instantly send “before and after” photos, and the system offers a “discount” if you pay within a few days. It’s psychological pressure dressed up as convenience.
Anyone trying to dispute the charge faces automated chatbots, opaque procedures, and wait times of up to ten days for an email response. Meanwhile, your credit card is already under siege. On forums and Reddit, dozens of similar stories circulate: “automatic, non-contestable charges” is the most common phrase. Some customers say they’re done with Hertz for good.
And it’s not just Hertz. Sixt also uses a similar system, called “Car Gate.” There, too, glaring errors pop up: photos with incorrect timestamps showing the “damage” was there before the rental even started. In this context, the promise of greater transparency flips on its head. It becomes an aggressive mechanism that seems designed more to cash in than to ensure fairness.
Here, AI isn’t helping anyone. It’s replacing common sense with a cash-register mindset. And when the machine gets it wrong, it’s not the one paying. You are.
#ArtificialDecisions #MCC #CamisaniCalzolari #MarcoCamisaniCalzolari
Marco Camisani Calzolari
marcocamisanicalzolari.com/biography