Uber to freeze pretend rider account names, pilot front-facing video recording • TechCrunch

Uber is releasing a set of latest security options geared in direction of the driving force, together with freezing pretend rider account names and piloting a front-facing video recording software to exchange a driver’s dashcam.

The security options observe a suggestions interval from drivers that Uber started this summer season.

It appears like drivers have been having a tough time with pretend person names. Uber, in its try to stop discrimination based mostly on title, has allowed riders to replace their names within the app. The result’s some customers modified their names to cartoon characters or “even offensive language” which Uber stated “can result in difficult pickups or uncomfortable conditions for drivers.”

Uber will conduct a big audit of rider account names and freeze any accounts with clearly pretend names. Riders should replace or validate their account names with Uber’s assist brokers to have their accounts unblocked, the corporate stated.

Drivers will even have the ability to flag any pretend or inappropriate names of their app’s Assist part.

Uber can also be increasing its audio recording function and piloting front-facing video recording. The ride-hail big says in-app audio recording throughout rides has helped it decide the most effective plan of action after a security incident, and it’s helped riders and drivers really feel safer when utilizing the app. Uber has been piloting audio recording in three U.S. cities over the previous yr, and can now develop to 6 new U.S. cities subsequent month, together with Cincinnati, Nashville, Phoenix, Salt Lake Metropolis, San Antonio and Tucson.

The video recording trial, which can happen in Cincinnati, Louisville and New York Metropolis within the U.S. and Santos and João Pessoa in Brazil, will enable drivers to report video utilizing the front-facing digital camera on their smartphone. The thought is to exchange an interior-facing dashcam with a less expensive and simpler to arrange various, and it’ll enable drivers to report each video and audio on each journey, the corporate stated.

As with the audio recording function, nobody, together with the driving force, can entry the recording except the driving force desires to share it with Uber to search out info in a safety-related incident, Uber stated.

Uber additionally revealed some new street security options on Thursday. The corporate stated its in-app navigation system will now recommend fewer left turns, which in keeping with the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration, end in 22% of crashes. The navigation will even alert drivers to “look ahead to cross site visitors” when approaching an intersection and not using a four-way cease.