RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Uber drivers and passengers will be able to record a trip on audio in case of an emergency. In addition, the company will monitor any unscheduled stops on a trip.
The tools are part of a package of measures announced by the company on Thursday morning, November 6th, in São Paulo, to increase users’ safety. The measures should be available in Brazilian cities in the next few months.
According to Uber, passengers or drivers may record the trips if they feel unsafe. The recordings may be performed by the App itself. The company says it will keep the file under digital protection and unavailable to those who recorded it.
However, the audio may be sent to the company’s offices. Uber says that the recording will provide better information about what happened during a trip, in emergency cases, and thus be able to act.
Another measure announced by the company is the remote and real-time monitoring of any unplanned stops during a trip.
In the event of an unscheduled stop during a trip, the App can send a message to both driver and passenger. Uber will ask if everything is okay on the trip. Options include calling the police, sending the trip location to a previously registered contact or reporting to the company.
Uber will also allow passengers to run trips with the use of passwords between drivers, as an extra verification that the passenger is effectively entering the car they ordered.
The company further announced that it will require a photo of documents of passengers wishing to pay for trips in cash. Uber said it has developed technology capable of identifying forged documents.
Many Brazilian drivers avoid trips that are paid in cash, fearing that they are more prone to robberies.
Source: Folhapress