Uber unveiled a new feature in its app Wednesday that will allow New York City riders and drivers to record audio of their trip — but not necessarily with the other’s knowledge.
New York joins 150 other US cities and dozens more around the globe where Uber has rolled out the feature, which it says is designed to improve safety and comfort during trips for both parties. Users can enable the feature in the app’s Safety Toolkit; after doing that, during a trip drivers and riders can tap a blue shield icon to begin recording the trip. If one party starts recording, the other party is not informed.
“We’re committed to investing in innovative technology to enhance safety on the platform and we are excited to bring this important feature to New York City,” said Andi Pimentel Dunn, Uber’s product manager, in a statement. “We hope that by expanding this safety tool, we can continue to help give riders and drivers peace of mind and encourage more comfortable interactions while on trips.”
When a trip is completed, the audio file is automatically encrypted and stored on the user’s phone. It cannot be accessed by the other party, and can only be accessed by higher-ups at Uber if the user submits the recording in a complaint. A “trained safety agent” will then be able to listen to the recording, assess what happened, and determine what, if any, redress is necessary.
The move is intended to provide a sense of reassurance and security to riders and drivers worried about taking a car ride with a stranger. Both riders and drivers have been the victims of heinous crimes during Uber rides in New York and across the country, including harassment, assault, sex crime, and even murder.
Uber says that in many cases, the audio recordings have helped get to the bottom of disputes and resolved safety issues.
Drivers are not notified when a rider starts recording, and vice versa, Uber says, in order to prevent potential conflicts. But if a rider is matched with a…
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