While Uber insists to ABC News that 99.9% of its riders have no safety issues with their rides, the company is going the extra mile to protect that .1%.
Using the toolkit within the app, Rebecca Payne, the lead project manager on Uber’s safety team, tells ABC News that passengers will now be able to discreetly text 911 from the app if a ride goes wrong.
The text will shoot the authorities information about the ride, including its direction, destination, and make and model of the vehicle.
The tech will be available to about 60% of the country, Payne explained.
If things are going sideways, but there is no immediate danger, riders and drivers will also now be able to talk live with a safety agent either via phone or chat.
“They can use that for any situation that isn’t yet escalating to the need of getting police or other emergency services like fire department or ambulance, but they may feel unsafe or uncomfortable and need someone to talk them through a situation,” Payne said.
While millions of people travel via Uber without incident, the company’s own safety reports from 2019 to 2020 showed some 3,824 reported sexual assault incidents occurred during rides.