PARIS: Alexandre MEYER: Technology brings transparency to car rental fees

Facing excessive leasing return fees, a digital solution promises to restore transparency through AI inspection.

The UFC-Que Choisir association recently warned consumers about automobile leasing contracts, particularly Long-Term Rental (LLD) and Lease with Purchase Option (LOA), pointing out practices deemed “tricky”. At the heart of the disputes: return fees, often opaque or excessive, which can turn the end of a contract into a financial unpleasant surprise. In this context, technological solutions are emerging to objectify the state of vehicles and protect users.

A technological response to disputes

Facing what the consumer association qualifies as excesses, the French startup WeProov offers an approach based on documentation and transparency. Used by major rental companies like Rent a Car, Hertz or Europcar, this solution aims to ensure the reliability of the initial and final condition reports. The goal is to move from a subjective assessment, a source of conflicts, to a precise and shared documentation of the vehicle’s condition.

The company has developed a mobile digital inspection application, accessible on smartphones or tablets, which allows to conduct, document, and share a complete report in just a few minutes. The objective is to restore balance and trust between the lessor and the client, relying on tangible evidence.

An inspection process guided and made reliable by AI

The WeProov application structures the inspection around a guided and standardized process to ensure the completeness and consistency of information. The user is prompted to take a series of photographs of the vehicle according to a defined protocol, provide details such as mileage, and complete a checklist that can be customized according to the context (leasing return, short-term rental, used car sale).

During this process, each damage can be highlighted and directly annotated on the photos, thus creating a standardized and easily interpretable file. The reliability is enhanced by artificial intelligence tools that check the quality of the images, verify the consistency of the entered data, and assist the user in detecting and qualifying damages (scratches, dents, etc.).

The condition report: an objective proof

At the end of the inspection, a detailed report is automatically generated. To guarantee its integrity and make it irrefutable, this document is timestamped, geolocated, and digitally secured. It is then instantly shared with all stakeholders (client, lessor, insurer) in the form of a link or a PDF file, ensuring complete transparency.

“With WeProov, the issue of disputing fees no longer relies solely on a subjective assessment. The process becomes objective, based on verifiable and opposable elements,” explains Alexandre Meyer, CEO of WeProov.

Towards standardization of industry practices

For the company, the ambition is to establish a new standard for the entire automotive ecosystem, from fleet managers to insurers and rental companies. By automating and standardizing the inspection procedures, technology can significantly reduce sources of disputes.

“The digitization of inspections, with standardized, timestamped, and geolocated reports, is essential for reducing disputes and restoring trust between parties. Today, the question is no longer whether there will be return fees, but if they are justified, understood, and controlled. Technology finally brings this transparency,” concludes Alexandre Meyer.

A French pioneer in digital automotive inspection for over 10 years, WeProov (https://www.weproov.com/) develops AI-based solutions for over 1,000 clients, including Carrefour, Porsche, or L’Olivier Assurances. Its products, like WeProov Fleet for fleets or WeProov Claim for claims management, are available in 13 languages and earned the company the “Road Safety Innovation Award” in 2021.