Uber rolls out audio recording, women rider preference, SOS button in India to boost ride safety. Check out new features

Uber India has introduced a range of safety enhancements aimed at improving security for both drivers and passengers, particularly for women.

The new features include audio recording during rides, a women rider preference option, customisable safety settings, and an SOS button.

The audio recording feature allows both riders and drivers to record conversations if they feel unsafe during the trip. The recordings are encrypted, stored securely, and can only be accessed by Uber if submitted as part of a safety report. This feature complies with India's one-party consent law and is available nationwide.

The women rider preference option enables women drivers to choose only female passengers. This feature, based on feedback from women drivers, has been especially beneficial during late hours, providing a safer environment. Uber has already completed over 21,000 trips using this feature. The company aims to onboard more female drivers, as women currently make up just 2 per cent of its driver base in India.

FTC Investigates Uber One Subscription Program

In another development, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating Uber Technologies over potential violations of consumer protection laws related to its Uber One subscription service. The FTC is examining the enrollment and cancellation processes of the programme, according to documents reviewed by Bloomberg. The investigation, which began earlier this year, follows concerns about subscription terms.

Uber One offers subscribers discounts on rides and delivery services for an annual fee. The service currently has about 25 million members.

Uber confirmed that it is cooperating with the FTC and addressing questions regarding its cancellation policies. "We will continue to answer any questions the FTC may have about our cancellation policies," said Uber spokesperson Noah Edwardsen. “Uber One members can easily cancel their membership in the app — in fact, the majority of those cancellations take 20 seconds or less.”

The FTC has declined to comment on the matter.

The investigation comes as part of the FTC's broader efforts to protect consumers from misleading subscription terms. In recent years, the agency has targeted companies like Amazon and Adobe for making it difficult to cancel subscriptions.