A Frustrated Farewell to Hertz

A long-time Hertz patron is ready to sever ties with the car rental giant after an AI-powered damage detection system falsely flagged a harmless water reflection as serious vehicle damage. Despite his attempts to contest the claim with video evidence, the customer, known as Akkasca on Reddit, felt powerless in the face of an 'unchallengeable, automated accusation.'

A Shocking Discovery

After a decade of renting cars with Hertz without a hitch, Akkasca's loyalty was put to the test when he rented a car from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. The trouble began almost immediately after returning the vehicle and passing through Hertz's automated scanner.

Just moments later, he was alerted via text that damage had been detected on the vehicle. Alarmed, he promptly returned to the car, luggage in tow, to assess any issues.

No Damage, No Help

Upon inspection, Akkasca found absolutely no signs of damage on the car. "The supposed damage area? Completely fine. No visible damage whatsoever," he explained, emphasizing that he even recorded a video to document the car’s perfect condition.

Despite seeking help at the Hertz location, all employees could do was shrug and point fingers at the AI scanner, leaving Akkasca feeling abandoned. "They claimed they had no control over the damage claim," he stated.

Obstacles in the Dispute Process

Initially optimistic that he could resolve the issue through Hertz's dispute process, Akkasca soon found himself in a frustrating maze of obstacles. "The link they send you does NOT allow you to submit a dispute. Calling customer support? Useless," he lamented.

He also noted worrying inconsistencies with the AI’s detection, observing actual damage elsewhere on the vehicle that went unnoticed by the scanner.

AI Gone Awry?

Akkasca speculated that the AI might have misinterpreted environmental factors like water reflections as damage, voicing his frustration at the lack of a clear process to defend oneself against such automated judgments. "It’s an unchallengeable, automated accusation," he fumed.

A Discovery After the Fracas

After much perseverance, Akkasca finally got in touch with Hertz's corporate claims department, which ultimately dismissed the erroneous damage claim. "I am relieved but still concerned about how they handle disputes," he addressed.

A Broken System?

Despite the satisfactory outcome, he criticized Hertz's dispute system, calling it broken, stating it sent users in endless loops and didn’t allow for substantial challenges.

Hertz Responds

In response to the growing outcry from customers like Akkasca, Hertz defended their AI technology, remarking that it only detects billable damage and that the majority of rentals are incident-free. The company is currently using these scanners at multiple locations with plans to increase deployment by 2025.