Uber adds 911 ‘panic button’ for safety of passengers

Addressing safety issues, ride-hailing service Uber has made a new ‘panic button’ that will let passengers call 911 in between rides.

Being concerned more about passenger safety issues, Uber has made live its new panic button in the US through which passengers can call emergency number 911 during a ride. The feature has already been tested in India earlier.

Uber’s director of product management Sachin Kansal explained that in order to dial 911, the passengers would have to swipe up on the new ‘safety center’ icon and tap ‘911 assistance’. In order to minimize accidental dials, passengers will then be asked to verify if they mean to dial 911 before the call is put through to emergency dispatchers, wrote 9to5Mac.

Uber users can now rate their driver in between trips

“Every second counts in an emergency. We want to make sure our users get help quickly with accurate information if faced with an emergency situation,” Kansal said.

In few cities, the Uber app will automatically transfer location data to the 911 operator when called. Location sharing is being tested in cities including Denver, Charleston, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Naples.

Moreover, the feature will not only remain limited to passengers, Uber drivers will soon have the access to the feature too, in case they face issues with passengers. In an interview with The Verge, Kansal said, “We realize that a lot of situations and a lot of criminal activities arises when people think they’re not being watched.

“And we just want to say that we’re turning the lights on. Part of turning the lights on is providing these features to both sides and also make sure we’re making the entire community aware of the presence of these features,” he added.

The new safety features are part of Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi’s initiative for improving the firm’s safety record. Khosrowshahi said that these features are ‘just the beginning’ and that it is going to be a ‘real differentiator’ for Uber.