This Maryland startup wants to take the anxiety out of auto care — and prove your mechanic isn’t ripping you off

A Maryland founder is applying AI to one of consumers’ oldest trust problems: the car repair bill.

FairRide AI scores mechanic estimates against local price ranges to identify potentially overpriced services before drivers approve the work.

Founder Precious Jones launched the venture after a move to Maryland upended her understanding of reasonable repair costs. She developed the fairness score using a vibecoding platform Base44 trained on prior repair invoices to build the platform’s pricing data. 

While people could ask ChatGPT directly whether a repair quote seems fair, it doesn’t account for factors like a vehicle’s make and model or average local pricing, Jones said.

“You never know what you’re going to pay,” Jones told Technical.ly. “I wanted stability and more knowledge.” 

Jones isn’t alone. A 2023 Consumer Affairs study found that 78% of drivers don’t trust their mechanic. It’s even worse for women, who are often overcharged more frequently than men. 

As more people use the app, the scoring will become more accurate, Jones said. 

FairRide currently has about 200 active users, and she continues to promote the platform on neighborhood and women-in-business Facebook groups. She’s also in talks with universities and employers about offering the service as an employee benefit.

“The more people use it, the stronger the engine gets,” Jones said.

Breaking down the bill

People can upload their car repair estimate to FairRide’s web or mobile app. From there, users enter information about their vehicle and location, and the platform generates a fairness score from one to 100.

Beyond the overall score, FairRide also breaks down individual line items for cars in need of an overhaul. 

For example, it explains the typical price range for replacing front brake pads or rotors and what that repair usually involves for the mechanic.

FairRide currently operates on a pay-per-use model. 

Users receive up to three free price checks, after which each premium analysis costs $4.99. There’s also a $5.99 monthly subscription for drivers who expect to use the service more frequently.

Jones is also working to improve the platform’s accuracy by partnering with local mechanics to better understand labor costs. Shops that participate receive a FairRide seal of approval, but she said most aren’t eager to disclose their pricing. 

“I hope as we continue to build up our users,” Jones said, “that they’ll become more open to submitting their rates.”