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Hertz says its AI-assisted vehicle inspections compare images taken at pickup and return; they do not make damage charges automatic. But renters have reported substantial fees over small or disputed marks. The documented cases raise practical questions about what Hertz considers billable damage, how to challenge a claim, and what the available evidence does—and does not—show.
How Hertz’s AI vehicle inspections work
Hertz calls the process Digital Vehicle Inspection (DVI). Its support page says the system uses AI and computer vision to scan a vehicle at exit and return, then compare the images for new damage. At participating locations, a scan may use a drive-through scanner or a mobile device. Hertz says renters may receive a link by email or text with pickup and return images and any new damage Hertz identifies; the report is typically produced within minutes. That does not establish that every renter sees a report before leaving the location.
Hertz announced its partnership with UVeye on April 16, 2025. It described equipment and machine-learning algorithms intended to inspect vehicle bodywork, glass, tires, and undercarriage. The announcement named Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport as the first equipped location and said installations would roll out across major U.S. airports. CBS News later reported that Hertz was using the system at 10 U.S. airports in August 2025. These are dated rollout snapshots, not a current location count. Hertz’s damage support page describes the inspection process and thresholds.
What counts as damage on a Hertz rental car?
Hertz says it will not charge for “Ordinary Wear,” including limited sand pitting and paint transfer or scuffs that do not break the paint surface. Its published examples of potentially billable damage include:
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- A single body scratch that cannot be covered by a typical credit card measuring 2 by 3.5 inches, or multiple scratches at least one inch long whose combined area exceeds 2 by 3.5 inches.
- A single dent greater than one inch in diameter, or multiple dents on one panel.
- Detachment or penetration to a sheet-metal or plastic panel, regardless of size.
- Windshield cracks or chips; cracks or severe chips in other glass, mirrors, or light covers; missing or loose parts; and specified tire or undercarriage damage.
Hertz calls the examples illustrative rather than exhaustive and says responsibility is governed by the rental agreement and applicable law. The dimensions are Hertz’s published policy examples, not a universal legal standard. Whether a particular mark is chargeable depends on the applicable terms, evidence, and jurisdiction. Hertz’s page labels its damage-threshold material “REV 7.2025” and states, “We won’t charge you for Ordinary Wear.”
What the reported claims show—and what they do not
On August 26, 2025, CBS News reported that renter Adam Foley said Hertz notified him after an Atlanta rental that it had found two small dents. Foley said the damage amount was $80, the processing fee was $190, and the total was $350. Hertz told CBS it had waived Foley’s damage costs. The account documents a customer’s report and the company’s response; it does not establish whether the original assessment was correct or how often similar disputes occur.
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In a letter reproduced in an August 27, 2025 press release, Senator Richard Blumenthal recounted other reported cases: one customer allegedly faced a $195 charge for a dent with an $80 repair estimate, and another allegedly faced $440 for a minor scuff. Those are allegations cited in a letter, not adjudicated findings.
Hertz told CBS that more than 97% of over 675,000 rentals scanned showed no billable damage, as reported on August 26, 2025. That is a company-reported share of scans with no billable damage, not an independent audit or a measure of scanner accuracy. It does not establish how often damage was missed, correctly identified, disputed, or charged.
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Hertz described digital inspections as a way to make assessments more precise and transparent. In its statement to CBS, the company said: “With digital vehicle inspections, we’re introducing much-needed precision, objectivity, and transparency to the process — giving our customers greater confidence that they won’t be charged for damage that didn’t occur during their rental, and a more efficient resolution process when damage does occur.”
In August 2025, the House committee and Senator Blumenthal raised questions about matters including human review, appeal access, claim outcomes, accuracy, fees, and expansion plans. Those inquiries show official scrutiny; they do not establish wrongdoing or provide a performance audit. The sources available here do not establish an independent accuracy study, comprehensive claim or appeal outcomes, or current deployment coverage.
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How to dispute a Hertz damage claim
If Hertz says it found damage after you returned a vehicle, use the images and written claim to pin down what is being alleged and when it may have occurred. Keep the discussion specific: identify the mark, compare the images, ask how each amount was calculated, and request the review process if it is not explained.
- Get the inspection report. Open the link Hertz sent by email or text, or ask Hertz for the report and the pickup and return images if you did not receive them. Save copies of the notice, report, rental agreement, and relevant messages.
- Compare the same location in both sets of images. Check whether the alleged mark appears in the pickup images, whether the images show the same part of the vehicle, and whether image quality or angle makes the comparison uncertain. Note any visible discrepancy rather than assuming the scan alone proves when damage occurred.
- Match the allegation to Hertz’s stated threshold and your contract. Identify whether Hertz alleges a scratch, dent, broken surface, missing part, or another category. Compare the claim with the applicable Hertz terms and the signed rental agreement; do not treat the examples on the support page as a guarantee about every case.
- Ask for an itemized explanation and human review. Request the basis for the damage amount and any processing fee, the evidence Hertz relied on, and the steps and deadline for disputing the claim. The 2025 Senate letter asked Hertz to clarify review and appeal processes; it does not establish the company’s current appeal rules or response.
- Check possible coverage and reporting requirements. Review your personal auto policy, card benefits, and any Hertz protection you accepted. Ask the insurer or card issuer what documentation and deadlines apply before assuming a claim will be covered.
Keep your challenge factual and retain copies of everything you send. Whether a fee or damage assessment is legally enforceable depends on the agreement, evidence, and applicable law; an account in a news report alone cannot resolve that question.
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How rental-car damage protection differs
Before relying on any source of protection, check its terms for covered damage, exclusions, prohibited uses, deductibles or limits, state-specific conditions, and any requirement to report damage in a particular way. Hertz says its Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) is a contractual waiver, not insurance, and that it waives financial responsibility subject to conditions. Personal auto and credit-card coverage vary by policy and issuer. No option is universally best, and a renter should confirm how the specific terms apply to the rental.
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