Uber launches new safety features for late night rides
LOS ANGELES - Uber announced the ride-share company will begin offering a new set of safety features for customers beginning Wednesday.
Here's a breakdown of the new set of safety features:
Audio recording
With this new feature, Uber says riders can record audio during their trip and send the company a recording if something goes wrong. The audio recordings are encrypted and stored securely on the rider's device, according to Uber.
No other person or entity, including the driver, Uber or the rider has access to the recording, the ride-share company said. Uber can only access the recording if the rider reports a safety issue and chooses to share the recording with the company, the said.
PIN verification
Riders will now have the option to receive a four-digit code to provide to a driver before the trip can begin, to ensure that passengers get inside the right car, Uber said.
RideCheck
This feature helps detect if a ride goes off-course, stops unexpectedly or ends early. When that happens, the app sends a check-in notification that asks the passenger if everything is okay, and offers resources to help, according to Uber. Riders can also
Share My Trip
With this new setting, riders can automatically share their live location and trip details with a friend of family member, the ride-share app said. This setting can be automated for every trip, only after a certain hour, or when leaving a bar or restaurant.
The safety feature roll-out comes as more ride-share users have come forward with assault allegations against their drivers.
The Uber app application with a map of New York City is seen on an Apple iPhone mobile phone in this photo illustration Warsaw, Poland on 21 September, 2022. (Photo by STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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These new features are rolling out across the United States, Canada and Latin America, Uber said, but feature availability may vary by city, country or region.
"No matter the journey, we want riders to have peace of mind when using the Uber app which is why we are making it easier than ever to leverage our in-app safety features, especially at night," said Emilie Boman, director of safety public policy at Uber. "We are all about giving riders more choice and control over their safety features, and safety preferences does just that."
The safety features can be activated through a rider's settings in the Uber app.