Uber rolls out audio recording safety feature — Here's how to use it

Following the pilot of its new opt-in audio-recording feature in Pretoria and Johannesburg, e-hailing company Uber SA has now rolled out the feature nationally.

The feature, rolled out ahead of the festive season's busiest days, allows riders and drivers to record audio while on a trip and to share the audio with Uber for support purposes in case of a safety incident.

The audio-recording feature comes after the recent launch of Safety Check-Up, a feature that encourages riders to use and turn on the safety features available in-app, including Trusted Contacts, Verify My Ride and RideCheck.

“Drivers have been asking for this feature based on their feedback from round-table sessions and we are excited to be rolling out this feature nationally. We believe it will offer riders and drivers the peace of mind they need to travel with ease, as well as improve conduct on the app,” said Collen Mphabantshi, senior operations manager for safety at Uber Sub-Saharan Africa.

The in-app feature has been successful in the US, where it was introduced a few years ago, particularly serving as evidence in dispute resolution incidents.

“As we head into the festive season, we would like to remind riders and drivers to put safety first and to make use of Uber’s safety features if they feel uncomfortable in any way,” said Mphabantshi.

How does the feature works?

• The feature enables the rider or driver to opt-in to record the audio of a trip at the start of or any time during the trip by pressing the shield icon on the app and selecting “Record Audio”.
• Riders and drivers will be aware that this feature is available to others but will not know precisely when the feature is being used. The file is encrypted and stored on the respective rider and driver’s devices, but no-one can listen to the audio; not even Uber.
• The audio can only be listened to if either the rider or driver decides to submit a safety report. They can attach the audio file, and a trained Uber safety agent will decrypt and review the recording.
• This in-app solution leverages a driver’s or rider’s phone, so no additional hardware is required, which makes it easy to use and available at the touch of a button.

How can I get the best of the audio recording?

• It is suggested that you submit good quality recordings by reducing any background noise like radio on high volume or by ensuring that the phone’s built-in microphone is positioned such that it can clearly pick up any conversation in the car.
• Only send your recording to Uber in the event of a safety incident