Uber will start recording your conversations in taxi journeys
UBER is planning to start recording your chats in its cabs as a way to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers.
The feature is launching in December in Mexico and Brazil with plans to bring it to the United States at a later date.
It will allow riders to opt in to record all or select Uber trips to help protect people against violent or aggressive conduct.
The move comes in the wake of several high-profile incidents that have seen Uber passengers and drivers allegedly attacked during rides.
Uber's plans were first reported by the based on leaked emails and later confirmed by Uber itself.
It's not clear if the project will make its way to the UK. Uber generally tests features in the US before shifting them across the Atlantic.
Recordings will be stored on the rider or drivers phone and encrypted to protect privacy, and users will not be able to listen to them.
They can later share a recording with Uber, which will have an encryption key, if they want to report a problem.
Whether the recording feature will deter violent behaviour to help riders and drivers is unknown.
But Uber stands to benefit because the recordings could help the company mitigate losses and reign in liability for incidents that flare up between drivers and passengers.
For example, if a shouting match erupts between a driver and passenger, and both accuse the other of being verbally abusive, the recording could help Uber determine whose fault it was, said Thom Rickert, vice president and emerging risk specialist at Trident Public Risk Solutions.
"It probably is not going to prevent something from happening," Rickert said.
"It will probably just help you analyse what can we do to change outcomes the next time."
Uber says the new feature will promote accountability and help its safety team take decisive action when needed.
The recording feature also raises privacy concerns that drivers or passengers could have their conversations recorded without their knowledge or consent.
New Uber safety features revealed
Here are some of the new Uber safety features added since TfL's landmark probation ruling in September 2017...
- A dedicated Safety Toolkit in the Uber app means that riders and drivers can easily access important features to keep them safe and prevent incidents
- Trusted Contacts: Designate up to five friends and family members to be prompted to follow your journey with live trip details
- Emergency assistance: Connect directly with emergency services through the app. The app will show your real-time location and vehicle information
- Address anonymisation: In addition to rider and driver mobile numbers, rider’s specific pick-up and drop-off addresses are now concealed
- In-app safety centre for drivers: Uber’s one-stop shop for safety resources includes tips, insurance protections and community guidelines
- Check Your Ride alerts help make sure riders are getting into the correct licensed vehicle
- Cycle lane alerts notify riders to check for cyclists before opening the door near a cycle path
- Uber's 24/7 support centre is staffed by 300 specially trained agents dedicated to improving the safety of drivers and riders.
- Limits to driver hours mean that a licensed driver can only spend 10 hours en route to, and on-trip with, a passenger before they are required to log out
"Its a digital recording. Its going to exist on a server somewhere," Rickert said.
"Yes, it can be encrypted. Yes, it can be hacked...so that is a privacy concern for the individual that has lost control over that recording."
Uber has struggled with safety issues and faced accusations that some of its drivers have assaulted and raped passengers.
It also has been hit with litigation alleging that its hiring process and background checks are inadequate.
Uber does not conduct fingerprint-based background checks, which traditional taxi companies generally perform before hiring drivers.
The San Francisco-based company's drivers also have been victims of attacks.
In both Brazil and Mexico, Uber allows riders to pay with cash, which increases the risk of incidents.
In Brazil, drivers have been robbed and have suffered violent, fatal attacks while using the Uber platform, the company said in a federal filing.
Uber plans to release a safety report this year, which provides data on reports of sexual assaults and other safety incidents that occurred in the United States.
The company has been adding safety features to its app over the past year, including one that helps riders ensure they're getting into the right vehicle and another that enables users to call 9-1-1 from within the app and automatically share the vehicles location with first responders.
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