New Uber feature will allow riders, drivers to record audio during trips in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Uber riders and drivers in Philadelphia now have access to an in-app safety feature that allows audio recordings of a trip, the ride-sharing company said Wednesday.
Audio recordings won't be available unless a driver or rider submits a safety report with the recording attached, Uber claimed in a news release. The audio recordings will become encrypted and be stored on the user's device.
Uber said riders and drivers will receive a notification before a trip stating whether each user has the feature enabled. The notification would inform the two parties the trip could be recorded.
Pennsylvania is a two-party consent state, meaning that no one can be recorded without agreeing to it.
"We've heard from users that this audio recording feature helps them feel safer while on trips," Uber vice president of product Sachin Kansal said, "and we are pleased to continue to expand the feature. It is our hope that this feature can continue to help give riders and drivers peace of mind while on trips."
The feature is available through the safety toolkit part of the Uber app.
Uber said drivers can also download signage to attach to their vehicles about the feature.
Uber originally launched the feature in Latin America in 2019. It's now in nearly 150 cities in the U.S. and nearly a dozen countries.
