Following over 100 accusations of Uber drivers for crimes which include assaults and rape, the company has decided to do something that would protect both passengers and drivers. The company has now included a 911 feature in their app which they hope will make passengers feel much safer. The panic button so far is only available in America.
“We realize that a lot of situations and a lot of criminal activity arises when people think they’re not being watched,” Uber Director of Product Management Sachin Kansal told The Verge. “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.”
The panic button gives users the ability to report crimes during their ride and their location is made available immediately to authorities. Other feature in the app is currently being tested in seven U.S. states according to Uber.
