Uber is rolling out a host of new safety features which are designed to help both riders and drivers stay safe. These features suggest Uber has actually started listening to users, for whom safety is, and has to be, the number one priority.
It’s fair to say Uber doesn’t boast the best track record on safety. Uber drivers have been accused of all kinds of misdemeanors, and riders aren’t much better. However, Uber is now looking to salvage its reputation, and it’s hoping these new safety features help.
Uber Gets Serious About Safety
Rider Safety arrives in the form of Ride Check. This utilizes Uber’s existing use of GPS to know where and when you are while you’re in an Uber. The technology can detect possible crashes, and make sure everyone is OK. This can also flag up other potential irregularities which suggest something untoward is occurring.
Driver Safety comes in the form of Hands-Free Pickups and an Emergency Button. With Hands-Free Pickups, drivers can interact with the Uber app using just their voice. The Emergency Button which already exists for riders is now being extended to drivers too. And it means they can connect directly to 911 through the app.
Safety is at the core of everything we do. Check out the latest features that can help give you peace of mind at every turn: https://t.co/EgiE7HP9ID
— Uber (@Uber) September 5, 2018
Digital Safety is being bolstered by Address Anonymization and Two-Step Verification. The former conceals pickup and dropoff addresses in the driver’s trip history. The latter is an extension of the two-step verification already offered by Uber. This means you can now request a code be sent to you every time you log in to the Uber app.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi writes, “You can expect to see these features in your app over the coming months, and there’s more to come. That’s because when it comes to safety, our work is never done. Uber has a responsibility to help keep people safe, and it’s one we take seriously.”
Ensuring Everyone Stays Safe
Are these new features guaranteed to keep Uber drivers and riders safe from harm? No, obviously not. However, they’re all solid efforts from Uber, and based on the words of its CEO, the first in a line of similar efforts designed to ensure everyone stays safe.
Whether you’re new to Uber or a regular user, you may be interested in reading about how to find your Uber rating, how to request an Uber for your friends, and how to add multiple stops to your Uber. Or perhaps you’d prefer our Uber vs. Lyft comparison.
Image Credit: Automobile Italia/Flickr
Read the full article: Uber Adds a Bunch of New Safety Features
