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Hertz's AI drive-through scans rental cars for damage

Rental car company Hertz has a new weapon in its arsenal to detect damage made to its vehicles when rented -- or even in the holding parking lot before you get the keys. Its AI-driven vehicle inspection system from tech partner UVeye can conduct high-res, automated vehicle inspections so Hertz can immediately make an assessment and even issue an instant add-on to your bill.

With more than half-a-million vehicles around the globe, keeping vehicles in well-maintained condition before, during, and after rentals is a critical priority for Hertz. Vehicle assessments in the rental industry have traditionally relied heavily on manual inspections conducted in varying conditions. By implementing UVeye's advanced AI-driven inspection technology, Hertz aims to "enhance the frequency, accuracy, and efficiency of its vehicle maintenance processes significantly, ensuring reliable service, improved vehicle availability, and transparency for its customers."

VIDEO: Hertz to deploy UVeye's AI Inspection Systems at major U.S. airport locations. [Credit: UVeye]

"With millions of customers and over 100 years of service around the world, we're continually focused on transforming every aspect of our company, and that includes how we maintain our vehicles," said Mike Moore, EVP Technical Operations at Hertz. "We are excited to partner with UVeye to bring efficiency and greater accuracy to our maintenance process, so we can focus on our vehicles being ready when and where our customers want them."

UVeye's AI-powered camera systems and machine learning algorithms enable real-time, automated inspections of a vehicle's body, glass, tires, and undercarriage. The technology enables improvements in safety and vehicle availability by detecting and documenting maintenance issues with unprecedented speed and precision. It's also a way to catch more renters who have experienced damage or wear to their rental vehicles, so it could be a money-maker (recouper) for Hertz. The inspections happen both when renters first pick up their vehicle and then when it is returned.

UVeye's tire treadwear system captures high-resolution images that are instantly analyzed to determine whether a tire needs replacement, reducing the need for manual checks and ensuring timely, proactive service. By complementing manual checks with UVeye's technology, Hertz says customers "will enjoy more efficient and transparent automated checks when picking up and dropping off their vehicles."

According to a recent article in The Drive, however, "One [Hertz] customer was charged $440 for a scuff on his rental's wheel. But talking to a human employee about it wasn't easy, and he was encouraged to pay ASAP." The damage was reported to the renter via a web app, and the charge included $190 in processing and administration fees. Whew! If you have a few extra minutes, please read this article so you will not be caught off-guard one day in the future. The article makes a good point when it says that technological transparency is increased through using the scanner and presenting the images, but problem resolution can hit a road block when damage is claimed via an app and there is no human to interact with, only a chatbot.

UVeye's offerings include the Helios undercarriage inspection system, the Artemis tire inspection system, the Atlas modular 360-degree scanner (full-body and lite versions), and the Apollo interior inspection system.

Starting in Atlanta at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which was the first to be equipped with UVeye systems, Hertz and UVeye are now rolling out installations across major U.S. airport locations, with deployments expected to keep rolling out throughout the year. Hertz Global Holdings' subsidiaries and licensees operate the Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty, and Firefly vehicle rental brands with more than 11,000 rental locations in 160 countries around the globe.

VIDEO: From 7 minutes to seconds: UVeye transforms vehicle check-ins at Classic Chevy - Sugar Land. [Credit: UVeye]

UVeye says it has installed vehicle scanning systems "at over 500 locations worldwide, including car dealerships, auctions, and fleets." At dealerships, the scanner can put together a digital scan report complete with images to assist in maintenance inspections and to help mechanics make repair recommendations.

Sources: Hertz, UVeye, The Drive

Published July 2025

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