Uber simply introduced the growth of security options directed towards drivers, together with a nationwide rollout of enhanced rider verification. If a rider undergoes these extra verification steps they’ll get a “Verified” badge on their account, which can let drivers know the whole lot is on the up and up.
The corporate says it designed these new verification measures “in response to driver suggestions that they need to know extra about who’s getting of their automobile.” The corporate started testing this characteristic earlier this yr and it will need to have been a hit, because it’s getting a nationwide rollout. Lyft has its personal model of this instrument, although it is still being tested in select markets.
Uber verifies riders by cross-checking account info in opposition to third-party databases, although it’ll additionally settle for official authorities IDs. This system will even permit customers to herald their verification standing from the CLEAR program.
Whereas rider ID is probably the most notable security instrument introduced, Uber’s additionally bringing its File My Journey characteristic to the entire nation after another successful beta test. This lets drivers report the whole lot of the journey by way of their smartphone cameras, with out the necessity to put money into a dashcam. The footage is absolutely encrypted, with Uber saying no person can entry it until a driver sends it in for evaluation. The corporate hopes this may permit it to “extra rapidly and pretty resolve any incidents which will come up.”
Drivers can now cancel any journey with out a monetary penalty they usually can “unmatch” from any riders they do not really feel comfy choosing up. Lastly, there’s a brand new PIN verification characteristic wherein drivers can request riders to enter a quantity to substantiate they’re, in reality, the proper visitor.
Uber tends to focus its resources on riders over drivers, so this can be a good change of tempo. It’s form of a bummer, nevertheless, that drivers require this sort of enhanced verification system simply to root out some dangerous apples and maintain doing their jobs. In different phrases, don’t be a jerk throughout your subsequent Uber journey.