Welcome back to the latest episode of “The Future of Automotive” on CBT News, where we put recent automotive and mobility news into the context of the broader themes impacting the industry.
I’m Steve Greenfield from Automotive Ventures, and I’m glad that you could join us.
This week, we have some controversy about a rental car company using cutting-edge vision AI to enforce damage detection of rental cars at airport facilities.
Hertz is using artificial intelligence from AI startup UVeye to scan vehicles before and after renters use them to check for damages and issue associated charges.
It was just January of this year when UVeye, the global leader in AI-driven vehicle inspection technology, announced $191 million of funding, bringing total capital raised to date to $380.5 million. That latest investment fuels UVeye’s efforts to meet surging global demand for its innovative systems and solidify its position as the market leader in the industry as the company nears a million vehicles scanned every month.
At that time, UVeye noted that they had hundreds of new installations planned for 2025, including for dealerships, major fleets and car manufacturers, as well as strategic applications in rental services, manufacturing lines, and seaport inspections.
UVeye’s cutting-edge systems, described as an “MRI for vehicles,” deliver precise, data-driven insights by scanning all visible vehicle components in a matter of seconds. Powered by advanced AI, these platforms are revolutionizing vehicle safety and efficiency across dealerships, auctions, and a range of other industries. In 2024, UVeye gained significant traction, with installations across North America and beyond, and was named as one of TIME’s Best Inventions and Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies.
The company’s suite of underbody scanners, tire analyzers, and 360-degree exterior detection systems has been installed at hundreds of dealerships, fleet sites, and auction lots globally. With key clients like Amazon and General Motors, and strategic initiatives in rental services and seaport inspections, UVeye is shaping the future of vehicle safety and efficiency.
So, a really cool company with a very strong value proposition.
But this is where the fund begins.
One Hertz customer recently rented a Volkswagen from Hertz’s location at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which was in fact the first store nationwide to use the tech.
When the customer returned the car, they did so with a 1-inch scuff on the driver’s side rear wheel. The customer was alerted to the damage “minutes” after dropping the VW off, and with it, charges for the blemish: $250 for the repair, $125 for processing, and another $65 administrative fee. That’s $440 all told, for curb rash on one wheel.
Hertz using AI in this way represents new practices and protocols for the industry, and it’s something consumers will need time to adjust to. The company claims UVeye’s tech increases transparency when it comes to damage claims and, sure—you can see exactly what the scanners caught, and the turnaround is clearly quick. But this system has arguably introduced transparency when customers can’t easily talk to a live agent for questions or concerns, and the software is encouraging them to pay up as quickly as possible.
Hertz itself, it expects to have scanners up and running at 100 of its roughly 1,600 U.S. airport locations by the end of this year.
Is this a clever use of new AI tools to enforce rental car rules? Or is it a bit of an overreach that will turn off rental customers – and possibly drive them to use competitive rental car companies not using the UVeye technology?
Only time will tell!
So, with that, let’s transition to Our Companies to Watch.
Every week we highlight interesting companies in the automotive technology space to keep an eye on. If you read my weekly Intel Report, we showcase a company to watch, and we then take the opportunity here on this segment each week to share that company with you.
Today, our new company to watch is AutoTrainer.
AutoTrainer is a dealership’s AI-driven F&I Coach.
The AutoTrainer AI copilot guides managers through the F&I Process, ensuring compliance and the highest PVR possible on every deal.
AutoTrainer leverages advanced AI technology to support Auto Finance and Insurance departments with cutting-edge solutions. Their conversational AI offers real-time objection handling, post-sale instant replay, deal scoring, and benchmarking, bridging the critical gap between training and accountability.
How does it work?
A dealer’s training F&I process is custom installed in the AI as the benchmark and baseline for your F&I Manager performance.
During each role playing session the role play is monitored by the AI, and each conversation is scored with real-time coaching provided for F&I Managers.
AutoTrainer brings powerful, data-driven insights to enhance every F&I transaction. With AutoTrainer, dealerships can drive continuous improvement, boost performance, and instill confidence in every customer interaction.
If you’d like to learn more about AutoTrainer, you can check them out at www.AutoTrainer.com
So that’s it for this week’s Future of Automotive segment.
If you’re an AutoTech entrepreneur working on a solution that helps car dealerships, we want to hear from you. We are actively investing out of our DealerFund.
Don’t forget to check out my first book, “The Future of Automotive Retail,” and my new book, “The Future of Mobility”, both of which are available on Amazon.
Thanks (as always) for your ongoing support and for tuning into CBT News for this week’s Future of Automotive segment. We’ll see you next week!
