Hertz taps Israeli tech startup for automated inspection systems at US airports
UVeye, the developer of an AI-powered scanner that can run full vehicle inspections in seconds, will install at least 100 of its ‘MRI’ systems at Hertz bases
Sharon Wrobel is a tech reporter for The Times of Israel
Rental car giant Hertz will deploy Israeli automated vehicle inspection technology to help speed up detailed damage and maintenance assessments of its fleets stationed across major US airports.
Israeli tech startup UVeye, which develops automated AI-powered drive-through inspection systems for vehicles to detect external and mechanical flaws, announced on Wednesday that it has inked a partnership with Hertz, which is expected to generate tens of millions of dollars in revenue per year. As part of the partnership, more than 100 of the startup’s vehicle scanners will be installed at Hertz locations across US airports.
Car dealerships and major fleet retailers are increasingly seeking to integrate automated AI-driven scanning systems to minimize the reliance on slow and often tedious manual vehicle inspections to reduce costs and improve safety.
The partnership with UVeye will “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,” said Hertz EVP Technical Operations Mike Moore.
Founded in 2016 by brothers Amir and Ohad Hever, UVeye has developed an AI-powered camera-based platform described as an “MRI for vehicles,” which it says can run automated checks when customers pick up and drop off their vehicles.
The inspection system – which scans a vehicle as it drives through a tunnel of cameras and sensors – is based on advanced computer-vision and machine-learning technologies. The system was originally developed for homeland security purposes to detect weapons and contraband before being expanded to the automotive industry.
Starting with Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which is the first to be equipped with UVeye systems, the Israeli startup will be rolling out installations at Hertz locations across major US airports, with full deployment expected by the end of the year. Hertz operates more than 11,000 rental car locations in 160 countries through its Dollar, Thrifty and Firefly rental brands.
UVeye CEO Amir Hever said that the AI inspection systems “complement manual checks with consistent, data-backed assessments completed in seconds.”
Earlier this year, the Israeli startup raised $191 million in fresh funds from investors led by Toyota’s investment fund. Proceeds of the financing round were partly used to support a collaboration that UVeye started with e-commerce giant Amazon to install 850 of its inspection systems at Amazon delivery stations in the US, Canada, Germany, and the UK. To date, the startup has raised a total of $380.5 million in capital from investors including Volvo, Hyundai, and insurance company W.R. Berkley.
The startup’s scanners deployed at new and used-car dealerships, used-car auctions and major fleet retailers can detect mechanical flaws and identify anomalies for a variety of safety problems including frame and tire damage, missing parts and oil leaks, as well as brake and exhaust system issues, damage to the vehicle undercarriage, and nails in the tire thread. For example, 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 services.
Headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey and in Tel Aviv, UVeye has opened facilities in North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region, including offices in Japan, Germany and the US. The firm has a workforce of about 200 employees, out of which half are located in Tel Aviv.
