Uber initiates sign language feature for deaf drivers

The popular car-hailing service Uber is all set to introduce a new feature in order to communicate with drivers who are deaf or have difficulty hearing.

In respect of National Deaf Awareness Month celebrated in the US, Uber launched a mini-course dubbed Uber Sign Language through which a rider or a driver can be taught how to communicate with a deaf person.

The tutorial is supposed to teach people the common phrases used while on an Uber that includes ‘hello’, ‘thank you’, ‘turn left’, ‘turn right’ and ‘goodbye’.

Stating facts, Uber claimed that around 70% of the deaf community goes through unemployment. Uber believes that “it is proud to provide earning opportunities to Deaf and Hard of Hearing drivers across the world and in more than 200 US cities.”

Uber loses its licence to operate

However, the new feature is limited to Americans only since it follows the model of American Sign Language (ASL). When a customer is paired with a deaf driver, they are offered an option to learn some of the ASL signs in the app. The app notifies riders that the driver is deaf, also immobilizing the voice-call option. The driver too gets visual notifications instead of text messages when a new trip is called for, reported The Verge.

Engadget wrote, on its announcement page, Uber stated, “Actions mean more than words and we’re excited to create new and meaningful ways for people to earn money and connect, regardless of how they communicate. We hope this small update will contribute to a much larger conversation between riders and drivers around the world.”

Uber also claimed that it already has employed thousands of deaf or hard of hearing drivers who have successfully accomplished over a million trips.