Uber Testing New Safety Feature To Allow Drivers And Riders To Legally Record Audio During A Trip

#Roommates, with the increasing instances of crimes committed by and against Uber drivers, the popular rideshare service is taking additional measures to ensure safety during a ride. It’s recently been announced that Uber is officially testing out a safety feature that will allow audio to be recorded inside vehicles.

@CNN reports, the new safety features utilizes the Uber app to allow both drivers and riders the ability to legally record audio of all trips. Uber’s new feature will put riders in the position of choosing between privacy and security, since the audio will record everything that is said during a trip. The audio feature was announced earlier this month at an event in São Paulo, Brazil.

According to reports, while the feature will initially be available internationally, it will definitely come to the U.S. “soon” although an exact timeline is unclear. An Uber spokesperson said the feature will be tested initially in Brazil and Mexico beginning in December. This news comes as the annual deadline for releasing data on safety incidents in the U.S. comes close. Uber has consistently claimed that safety is its top priority, but the company has never released a promised safety transparency report, a report that includes data on claims of sexual assaults and other safety incidents on its platform.

The new feature may have a bit of a tough road in the U.S. due to privacy laws. Uber addressed the potential issues with this statement, “Laws in the United States around consent to being recorded can vary from state to state, but we hope to be able to make this available nationally.”

The audio file that will be used will be encrypted and can be shared with Uber after a ride is completed, if the individual decides to do so. Uber could then use that for investigating an incident or share it with law enforcement, if requested.

Roommates, what are your thoughts on this?