Uber launches initiatives for safety of drivers, riders

Bengaluru, Aug 31 (IANS) Ride-hailing app Uber on Thursday launched several driver- and rider-focused safety initiatives — Share Trip feature for drivers and driver de-duplication for riders — under its UberSAFE campaign.

The Share Trip feature will allow drivers to share the details of trip, including route and estimated time of arrival in real time, with family or friends.

It was rolled out on Thursday in Delhi, Kolkata, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Pune and Lucknow. The Share Trip feature will be fully available across India by the end of this month.

"Whether you are behind the wheel or sitting in the back seat, Uber’s commitment to safety for everyone is unwavering. We will continue to invest in technology and innovation to ensure a safe and reliable trip," Pradeep Parameswaran, Head of Central Operations, Uber India, said in a statement.

The initiative to check and de-duplicate driver partner accounts is the company’s step forward to ensure that the right person is behind the wheel and riders have a safe and reliable experience while on a ride.

In addition to a comprehensive onboarding process, background checks and initiatives like "Real Time ID Check", driver de-duplication further helps eliminate account-sharing incidents.

Uber’s technology will help identify the duplicate accounts and these accounts will be deleted.

"At every step, we are maximising the usage of technology to bring transparency and accountability through several features, which we believe will have a positive impact between riders and driver partners," Apurva Dalal, Head of Engineering, Uber India, added.