According to a blog post published by Uber, starting February 11th, the Uber app will provide users in India with an in-app panic button to notify police that something’s wrong.
On February 11 next week, Uber is launching two significant, additional built-in safety features:
i) In-app panic (SOS) button that allows a rider to alert the local Police at the push of a button in case of an emergency.
ii) Safety Net feature, which will allow users to easily share their trip details and real-time location with up to 5 friends and family members.
Uber says it is creating “a dedicated local Incident Response Team” and will expand its tracking feature to “allow users to easily share their trip details and real-time location with up to 5 friends and family members.”
Uber also said that:
Our goal is to make Uber the safest place in the city. To do this, we will continue to leverage our technology and operational scale to deliver rides that bring unprecedented transparency and accountability to your transportation experience. However, we cannot do this alone. We appeal to city authorities to engage with innovative companies like Uber to implement new technologies that deliver highly effective solutions to very real issues of safety, congestion, and job creation.
It’s still unclear whether Uber’s new safety features will make an appearance in the US or elsewhere, they’re good first steps toward improved safety for Uber riders.