Over the last ten years, we’ve continued to raise the bar on safety by using a mix of technology and trained safety agents for support when required. The latest addition to our efforts is the introduction of a new in-app safety feature that can help give users peace of mind and encourage safe and comfortable interactions during trips. 

We’re launching audio recording in India – a new in-app safety feature that allows users to securely record audio during trips in case there is an on-trip incident or when they wish to report something that made them uncomfortable, encouraging safety while also protecting privacy. 

Riders can set up the feature in the Safety Toolkit in the app. Once enabled, the feature gives them the option to record audio during a trip by tapping the blue shield icon on the app screen and hitting “Start” on the “Record Audio” option. They can start or stop an audio recording at any point during a trip. Unless ended manually by the user during the trip, recording will automatically stop shortly after the trip is completed. 

To protect privacy, once an audio recording is completed, the audio file is encrypted and stored directly on the rider’s device. No one will be able to listen to the recording, including Uber, unless a safety incident is reported. If a safety incident is reported through the app, the user will be able to attach the audio file to the report and share it with our specialized safety support team. At that time, the file will be decrypted and a trained safety agent will be able to review the submitted audio. The audio, along with other incident information, can help Uber determine the best course of action. The audio file can also be used to help investigations or be shared with authorities, in line with the required legal process. 

In cases when the user does not report any incident, the recorded content remains on their phone for seven days and it is automatically deleted after this period. In continuation with Uber’s decision to have equitable policies for riders and drivers with no discrimination, the audio recording feature will be available to drivers on the platform too.

Originally launched in Latin America in 2019, the audio recording feature is currently live in more than a dozen countries. We’ve seen instances where the audio file has helped determine the best course of action after a safety incident, and the majority of riders and drivers in these cities told us this feature helped them feel safer when using Uber.