Uber unveils new safety features to enhance night-time travel for women
Uber has introduced a set of new safety preferences specifically designed to protect women travelling at night.
Emilie Boman, Uber’s Director of Safety Public Policy, highlighted the pressing need for these features by revealing that over half of women feel unsafe walking alone at night close to their homes.
Uber's latest initiative offers riders the ability to customise their safety measures through the app, focusing particularly on journeys taken after dark. Boman stated that these measures are intended to provide peace of mind and simplify the use of in-app safety functions.
Available now in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America, the feature is set to expand into more countries in the coming weeks.
The new safety hub within the Uber app allows users to activate up to four specific safety features which can be set to engage automatically based on the time of day or the rider's location. These settings aim to adapt to situations such as late-night travel or when leaving venues like bars and restaurants.
The features introduced include RideCheck, which monitors for deviations in the route or unexpected stops; PIN verification, requiring a four-digit code to be provided to the driver before a ride starts; encrypted audio recording to capture trip sounds securely; and the ability to share trip details with contacts in real-time.
Boman said: “Going out at night should be fun and safe. Instead, 53% of women reported feeling unsafe at night even when walking alone within a mile from their home.
“Whether it’s heading out on a first date or getting home after drinks with friends, women are constantly making decisions on how to prioritise safety in their day to day.
“At Uber, we get it. And we believe when we make the world safer for women we make it safer for everyone.”
