[pacificenigma]

Reminds me of yesterday trying to collect a hire car in central Stockholm from a Hertz "intelligent locker":

1. Texted PIN to get into garage didn't work. After 5 minutes just tailed someone else through the door.

2. Locker rejected non-Euro drivers license. Call to contact centre overcame it.

3. "Prefilled" customer details were all wrong and didn't match confirmation email. So 10 minutes to retype them.

4. Exit boom gate wouldn't open. Garage said to call hire company. Hire company said they cannot open it. 3-way call resulted in garage employee begrudgingly pressing a button to remotely open it.

Not to single out Hertz, last week we returned an Avis car to the reservation specified location at the correct time (10 pm), but a sign there stated the key drop was "permanently closed" and to deliver it 5 km away. We had an overnight train to catch so were forced to urgently do so and incur the return taxi fare.

I'm unsure how far society can keep shoving incompetent automation down peoples' throats. I understand that people generally want to save money, but I think many want high-impact experiences (like 3 kids + 2 adults + transport mode changes) to go smoothly enough they will happily a little pay more to derisk it.