Uber invests in tech-led features to make it safer for riders, drivers

The ride-hailing firm has also built the Centre of Excellence for safety, where teams handle safety issues ranging from a verbal dispute over cash or route to critical incidents like accidents

Global mobility company Uber is scaling up its efforts to improve safety on its ride-hailing platform in India. These include investments in technology-led features as well as live agent support to make the platform safer.

The firm has built a feature called ‘phone number anonymisation’. To ensure that there is no appropriate contact outside of the trip, the phone number of the rider and the driver are masked when they contact each other via the Uber app. The personal information hence remains private. 

Also, clear pick-up and drop-off locations help riders and drivers seamlessly connect and complete a trip. However, following the completion of the trip, the driver app displays only generalised area information. It conceals the precise addresses from the driver’s trip history. This adds an extra layer of privacy and enhances the overall security of user data.

Often when coordinating a trip, the rider or driver decides to share their mobile numbers in the chat. This runs the risk of sharing private information with either party which can result in unwanted contact outside the platform. The Uber app now detects any phone numbers being exchanged via chat and promptly sends cautionary messages to both parties about sharing private information.

“Safety is paramount at Uber. We believe that ‘safety never stops’ and have continually innovated to improve further,” said Sooraj Nair, head of Safety Operations, Uber India and South Asia. “We use a mix of human and technology-led interventions to maintain our safety standards. The new tech-enabled features will help safeguard the privacy of riders and drivers and enhance safety for all,” said Nair.

The company is also expanding its Centre of Excellence (CoE) for safety. The first CoE was started in Hyderabad in 2015. It was expanded to Visakhapatnam in 2019. It is supporting India and other parts of South Asia. Besides English, the team can converse with the users in six local Indian languages.

A rider can share the trip details with their loved ones. They have access to a 24X7 safety line and an in-app emergency button when needed. Internal teams handle various safety issues. These range from a simple verbal dispute over cash or route to critical incidents like accidents resulting in a fatality. 

After tapping on the safety shield, users will see large tiles with all the safety help options available in their area. The goal is to streamline access and visibility of the most critical safety features during an emergency.

The rider can also reach out to law enforcement directly from the app by dialling 112. The rider can also get to see the trip details and the location which can be shared with the police, if required. Uber said its safety team will also reach out to check on the safety of the users.

“It was late in the evening and we received a distress call from a female rider whose Uber cab had broken down far from the city centre. Due to an unfamiliar and ‘dangerous’ location, she felt scared for her safety.  Uber's safety agent immediately took action, staying on the line with the rider until she reached a safe location and eventually her intended destination,” said Crystal Gandham, an agent from Uber’s safety team.

“Due to the remote location, our safety team coordinated with the Uber driver, who was also facing difficulties in explaining their exact location. We also contacted local residents through the driver to ensure the rider’s safety. We remained in constant touch with the rider, ensuring her well-being,” said Gandham.