Uber has updated its in-app safety features for its mobile app. The online taxi hailing service has added a new Help button that connects riders instantly to local authorities in case of an emergency.
The in-app SOS button has been replaced by a new Help function. A single tap on the button will allows riders to trigger a real-time Safety Emergency alert to Uber and the local authorities in the rare event of an emergency or incident during an Uber trip.
- Riders will have the option to connect with the police via a phone call.
- Instant alerts with complete rider, driver and trip information are sent to
- The local Police authorities in cities that have deployed our SOS alert solution and
- Our Incident Response Team that is on standby 24×7 so our response agents can monitor the trip in real-time, provide instant phone support and relay critical trip information to the police.
An automated text message is sent to pre-selected Emergency Contacts with detailed trip status; allowing them to monitor the trip in real-time via GPS. Uber has been in a fix since last year when a women passenger was allegedly raped by an Uber driver. The company has since taken multiple steps to improve rider safety like re-verification of all driver partners with the police across cities, added a panic button establishing a dedicated local Incident Response Team that is on call 24×7 to handle critical situations and sharing live GPS location with pre-selected emergency contacts and so on. Last month, the company rolled out a feature that secures the phone numbers of the riders and drives for a better privacy.
Uber said that the latest Help feature will launch today and become available for riders across India on both iOS and Android over the next few weeks.
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