Uber Panic Button: How the New Feature Works

Advertisement

Uber now has a Panic Button available for riders using its service.

Uber Panic Button: How the New Feature Works

Source: Shutterstock

The new Uber Panic Button is available for riders so that they can easily get in contact with 911 while taking a ride. This feature is found in the safety center of the company’s app. Once users click on the button, they will then be asked to confirm that they want to call 911.

Uber is hoping that this new feature will add an extra layer of security for its passengers. It is also planning to introduce a similar feature for drivers in the near future. To go along with this, the company is also working on a feature that lets its users share their GPS location with emergency respondents.

“We realize that a lot of situations and a lot of criminal activity arises when people think they’re not being watched,” Sachin Kansal, Director of Product Management at Uber, 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.”

Another new feature that launches alongside the Uber Panic Button are Trusted Contacts. This feature allows riders to share their information with up to five friends or family members. This lets these contact keep track of a person’s ride and can act as an early warning if something goes wrong.

As of this writing, William White did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2018/05/uber-panic-button-is-live/.

©2024 InvestorPlace Media, LLC