LOS ANGELES, California –– In a bid to bolster safety measures for both riders and drivers, the renowned ride-hailing service Uber has launched an innovative in-app safety feature that allows users to record audio during their trips. This novel safety tool, initially rolled out in Latin America back in 2019, has gradually found its way to around 150 cities in the United States. Los Angeles, a thriving metropolitan hub, has recently been incorporated into the list of cities where this functionality is available.
Found within the Safety Toolkit section of the Uber app specifically for Los Angeles users, this audio recording feature is designed with a strong emphasis on privacy and encryption. The recorded audio remains secure and confidential, and not even Uber itself can access it, unless a rider submits a safety report that includes the relevant audio file.
As a crucial element of transparency, both riders and drivers receive in-app notifications before the commencement of a trip if the audio recording feature is activated. This ensures that all parties involved are aware of the potential recording. However, it is important to note that if either the rider or the driver initiates the recording, no notifications will be sent to the other party.
“By giving riders and drivers the option to initiate audio recordings before or during a trip, this latest feature can help encourage safe and comfortable interactions, and add an additional layer of safety to trips taken on the platform,” Uber emphasized in a recent press release.
The feature grants users the flexibility to stop the audio recording at any point during their trip, with recordings automatically ceasing shortly after the completion of the journey. Sachin Kansal, Uber’s Vice President of Product, underscored the company’s unwavering commitment to enhancing safety through technological advancements. “We’ve heard from users that this audio recording feature helps them feel safer while on trips, and we are pleased to continue to expand the feature,” Kansal stated. “It is our hope that this feature can continue to help give riders and drivers peace of mind while on trips.”
While the new feature is already accessible to certain Uber customers, the broader Los Angeles market can expect to gain access to this functionality in the coming days and weeks, according to a statement from Uber.
For further information about this innovative safety feature and comprehensive instructions on its usage, please refer to the official Uber announcement linked here.
