Bolt introduces new audio recording feature for safety — here's how it works

E-hailing platform Bolt has introduced a new audio recording feature to boost safety measures for trips.

Bolt said the feature is a solution in situations where riders or drivers may feel unsafe during the trip.

“This feature lets drivers and passengers record audio via the app during a ride, discouraging inappropriate behaviour, enhancing safety, and assisting us and the local authorities in resolving potential disputes,” said Bolt.

The feature is available in South Africa and Nigeria, and riders must have the latest version of the app to use it.

“Riders and drivers will be notified once audio trip recording is available in their country. Users can find the feature in Bolt’s in-app safety toolkit and use it if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe. 

“In-app audio recording can only be activated during a Bolt ride. Bolt can only access files users have shared with customer Support as a part of an incident report,” said the e-hailing platform.

The feature comes amid reports of bogus drivers allegedly beating and robbing clients.

In February, four men were stripped naked and assaulted in Polokwane, Limpopo, by community members after allegations they were renowned for robbing riders while posing as drivers for the e-hailing service provider. They were alleged to have used stolen company profiles.

A video showing the four naked men went viral on social media and police launched an investigation.

One of the victims died of his injuries soon after he was admitted to hospital. A second victim died after four days in hospital, while a third died after nine days.

How audio trip recording works

• During first-time use, audio trip recording may ask permission to access your phone’s microphone on Bolt rides.
• You can start and stop recording at any point during a trip. But the feature’s only available during rides, and recording automatically ends once a ride finishes.
• Recording pauses when you open an app that uses the microphone and automatically resumes when other apps using the microphone are closed.
• The recording file is encrypted and stored on your device for up to 24 hours. To share the recording with Bolt customer support, you must attach the file to an incident report.
• The encrypted recording is automatically erased from your device after 24 hours, so submit the report as soon as possible. 

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