By Pascal Oparada
Uber CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, announced on Wednesday a bunch of new features for the ride-hailing app, designed to address growing concerns over safety of riders on the platform. Many of the new features are contained within the Safety Centre lading page inside the app.
It features insight into the company’s process for screening its drivers. There is also a new emergency number button that connects riders directly to an emergency number operator inside the app.
The feature also displays real-time location from a moving car, including addresses, so riders can share that information directly with emergency operators. Khosrowshahi says a version of the new feature is also coming for drivers in the near future.
An update to the Share My Ride feature lets riders choice up to five contacts who will receive information on their trips, letting them arrive at their destination. They can also opt to only have the feature kick in during night-time rides, according to TechCrunch.
Khosrowshahi also promises to beef up Uber’s screening process. “In the past, Uber conducted background check reruns in jurisdictions where required,” he writes. “Going forward, we’ll proactively rerun criminal and motor vehicle checks each year, regardless of whether there is a legal obligation to do so.”
The company is also utilizing a new system aimed at notifying the company when drivers in the system are involved in a criminal offense.
