At Uber we’re putting safety at the heart of everything we do. From sharing your trip with loved ones, to GPS tracking, to knowing every driver has had a background check, we believe technology has helped make travel safer than ever. 

These advances in safety are important – but for them to be effective it starts with the basics, getting into the right car. 

That’s why from today New Zealand riders will begin to see new notifications in-app reminding them to check their ride. This notification will become a permanent safety feature because our goal is to make checking your ride before you get in the car synonymous with using the Uber app. 

You should never get in a car with a driver who claims to be with Uber but doesn’t match what is in your app.  Every time you take a trip with Uber, you can make sure you’re getting into the right car with the right driver by matching the license plate, car make and model, and the driver photo with what’s provided in the app.  

This new notification feature will remind people to complete these three steps every time they catch a ride with Uber. They’ll also be supported through our social media and other channels. It is another important and visual reminder of the importance we place on safety as well as how tech can make travel safer than ever before.

SAFETY FEATURES IN THE APP

  • Check Your Ride Push Notifications: We are adding a new push notification to remind riders of the Check Your Ride steps just before their car arrives. The alert will go live today and will progressively roll out nationwide in the days ahead.
  • Check Your Ride In-App Banner: We’re putting a clear message in the app, starting from the moment you get matched with a driver until the moment you start your trip, to remind you how to confirm the right car. We’ll keep this reminder in place for several weeks and initiate it periodically in the future.

For more on our safety features, click here.