Uber will test its safety audio-recording feature in Johannesburg and Pretoria this week. With this feature, riders and drivers can choose to record audio during a trip if they feel it’s warranted for safety reasons.
The recording can then be used as evidence should there be any type of safety incident.
Riders and drivers can choose to record individual trips, and drivers will also have the option to leave the feature on while they’re online.
The audio file is encrypted and stored on the rider and driver’s devices, and by default, no one can listen to the audio, including Uber. If either user submits a safety report to Uber, they can attach the audio file to their report.
At that point, a trained Uber safety agent will decrypt and review the submitted audio recording, as well as any other relevant information, to help determine what happened and the best course of action.
Importantly, it is the user’s choice when to record audio and when to share it with Uber.
Of course, anyone can use their smartphone tools to record audio, but the good thing about Uber’s system is that it will encrypt the audio and that the file gets stored on your phone in such a way that no one can access it (not even you, or Uber) unless you file a safety report and submit it to the company.
The feature was launched two years ago and is now available in 14 countries, including Mexico, Brazil and US.
Watch this below quick video to see how it works:
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