Uber brought new app safety features to Europe on Wednesday, allowing riders and drivers to easily share trip details, contact emergency services and access safety information.
People using the ride-hailing company’s service can also set up two-factor authentication as an extra layer of security, as well as anonymizing pickup and drop-off locations so drivers won’t be able to keep exact trip location information after the fact.
These features were added to the US version of the app earlier this year and expanded in September.
They’re part of Uber’s Safety Toolkit, which can be found by tapping the shield icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the app. The features will be added in more than 40 UK towns and cities as well as cities in 23 other European countries in the coming weeks.
Uber, whose upcoming IPO may be worth as much as $120 billion, notes that the safety features are available to drivers and Uber Eats couriers along with in-app speed limit alerts. They’ll also be able to access a separate insurance hub: The company rolled out health insurance for European drivers in May.
‘Over the last year we’ve been working to develop innovative features that increase transparency, accountability and peace of mind for all users,’ Sachin Kansal, Uber’s global head of safety products, said in an emailed statement. ‘The rollout of these new safety features across Europe is the next step in making sure that we’re helping everyone stay safe and connected, wherever you might be.’
The company dodged a ban in London in June, months after the city’s transport regulator refused to renew its private-hire license over ‘a lack of corporate responsibility.’
