Uber has announced plans to allow passengers and drivers in Brazil and Mexico to record audio of their rides, as part of efforts to improve safety. The feature will be piloted in cities in both countries from December, with a potential rollout to other markets, including the United States, at an unspecified later date.
Users can opt into recording all or selected trips. Recordings will be encrypted and stored on the user's phone, inaccessible to them, but can be shared with Uber if a problem is reported. Uber will hold an encryption key to access the recordings for investigations.
The move aims to enhance accountability and help Uber's safety team take decisive action. However, experts question whether it will deter violent behaviour. Thom Rickert of Trident Public Risk Solutions noted that recordings may not prevent incidents but could help analyse outcomes and reduce liability.
Privacy concerns have been raised, as conversations could be recorded without consent. Rickert warned that digital recordings, even encrypted, are vulnerable to hacking, posing a risk to individuals' privacy.
Uber has faced safety issues, including allegations of assaults by drivers and inadequate background checks. The company does not use fingerprint-based checks, unlike traditional taxi firms. In Brazil and Mexico, cash payments increase incident risks, with drivers facing robberies and fatal attacks.
Uber plans to release a safety report this year with data on sexual assaults and other incidents in the US. Recent app additions include a vehicle verification feature and an in-app 911 call function that shares the vehicle's location.
