Europcar is piloting a new camera system at Brisbane Airport to provide customers greater transparency on the condition of hire cars and reduce uncertainty about damages to rental vehicles.

Using high definition cameras and licence plate recognition, the Car Rental Vehicle Inspection System captures multiple images of the vehicle; including the vehicle’s roof, windscreen, bonnet, boot, bumpers and door panels as each Europcar vehicle enters and exits the fleet car park.

While the cameras won’t replace physical inspections, Europcar operations director Matt Barker said the new system is designed to deliver customers greater peace of mind and improve customer relationships.

“Uncertainty around damage is a significant issue for the vehicle rental industry but this technology will help us find quick and fair resolutions to what can be an otherwise complicated and lengthy process.

“The technology gives us the ability to compare images of the vehicle, before and after it was rented, giving customers a definitive answer as to whether a vehicle was damaged during the course of their rental,” Barker said.

He added said Europcar is committed to continually improving its quality standards.

“Investing in best practice systems such as CRVIS demonstrates how much Europcar values our customers, innovation and our goal of continuous improvement,” Barker continued.

CRVIS is one of many Europcar initiatives to improve transparency and provide a hassle-free customer experience.

In 2013, Europcar introduced a nation-wide centralised charging model for damaged vehicles to eradicate the risk of overcharging for damages.

In late 2013 Europcar launched GoZen, an easy-to-understand cover product that provides complete cover with zero damage liability.