# Uber Introduces Audio Recording



## MHR (Jul 23, 2017)

*Uber intros several safety features, including one that records audio during a ride*​
@rebeccabellan / 6:00 am PST • December 2, 2021








Uber is adding several new safety features to its app, including an audio reminder to riders to wear their seat belts, allowing riders or drivers to record audio during rides, and detection of unexpected route changes or stops before the final destination. The updates are designed to help both riders and drivers feel safer during trips, Uber said.

“Many people admit to not always buckling up in the back seat, especially on shorter trips, and that can create an uncomfortable situation for drivers,” Kristin Smith, road safety public policy manager at Uber, told TechCrunch. “We think introducing an audio reminder can help reinforce the message that people need to buckle up in every seat, every time. This feature builds on a number of seat belt awareness campaigns we’ve launched over the past several years. We’ve partnered with GHSA on our ‘Make It Click’ Campaign and have worked to educate riders and drivers on the importance of wearing a seat belt.”

The seat belt feature will begin to roll out to some users later this month and expand nationally early next year, according to an Uber spokesperson, who also said the impetus for the audio alert came from feedback from drivers who bear the brunt of responsibility for paying off tickets. At the start of the trip, the driver’s phone will have an audio alert reminding riders to buckle up, while a push notification is sent to the rider’s phone.

The audio recording feature, which has been live in Latin America for around two years, will begin rolling out in the U.S. next week as a pilot in Kansas City, Louisville and Raleigh-Durham. Drivers and riders can choose to record audio by tapping the shield icon on the map screen and selecting “Record Audio.” If a driver has opted into the feature, riders will get a notification within the app before the trip begins. 

The audio files are encrypted and stored on the rider’s or driver’s device, and no one, including Uber, can listen to the recording, according to the company. If a user submits a safety report to Uber, they can attach the audio file to their report and a trained Uber safety agent will decrypt and review the recording as evidence to help determine what happened and what to do next.

Finally, Uber is enhancing RideCheck nationwide on Thursday, a feature the company added in 2019 to detect possible crashes or unusually long stops during a trip using GPS data and sensors in the driver’s smartphone. Now, RideCheck has expanded to detect when a trip ends unexpectedly before reaching the final destination or when a driver goes off course.

When the system detects possible issues, both the rider and driver will receive a RideCheck notification prompting them to let Uber know through the app that all is well or take other actions like pressing the emergency button or reporting the issue.










Uber intros several safety features, including one that records audio during a ride


Uber is adding several new safety features to its app, including an audio reminder to riders to wear their seat belts, allowing riders or drivers to record audio during rides, and detection of unexpected route changes or stops before the final destination. The updates are designed to help both...




techcrunch.com


----------



## Uber's Guber (Oct 22, 2017)

MHR said:


> At the start of the trip, the driver’s phone will have an audio alert reminding riders to buckle up, while a push notification is sent to the rider’s phone.


Because having the ability to digitally annoy our pax before the trip even begins is a great strategy to enhance the ride experience and triple our potential for earning tips.


----------



## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

MHR said:


> *Uber intros several safety features, including one that records audio during a ride*​
> @rebeccabellan / 6:00 am PST • December 2, 2021
> 
> View attachment 629711​
> ...


Yea because that emergency button works so good
I wonder exactly what the motivation 
for the record audio is
Somehow I find it's hard to believe its
designed in any way to help or protect us


----------



## Beninmankato (Apr 26, 2017)

If we don't take the Uber mapped route the rider will get notified? This is not a good idea at all.


----------



## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

Beninmankato said:


> If we don't take the Uber mapped route the rider will get notified? This is not a good idea at all.


I bet I get at least 2 more trips a day by using
waze instead of ubers crappy navigation
They generally dont care when you say google
paid almost a BILLION dollars for this and 
you are taking them the fastest way


----------



## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

Next up, Uber releases audio of @Another Uber Driver after being asked by a pax to go thru the McDonalds Drive Thru


----------



## _Tron_ (Feb 9, 2020)

MHR said:


> The updates are designed to help both riders and drivers feel safer during trips, Uber said.


----------



## _Tron_ (Feb 9, 2020)

MHR said:


> “Many people admit to not always buckling up in the back seat, especially on shorter trips, and that can create an uncomfortable situation for drivers,” Kristin Smith, road safety public policy manager at Uber, told TechCrunch. “We think introducing an audio reminder can help reinforce the message that people need to buckle up in every seat, every time. This feature builds on a number of seat belt awareness campaigns we’ve launched over the past several years. We’ve partnered with GHSA on our ‘Make It Click’ Campaign and have worked to educate riders and drivers on the importance of wearing a seat belt.”


I am perfectly capable, happy, and content to manage my passengers on my own, which includes insuring they buckle up. I get 100% compliance. It's simple, the trip doesn't commence until they all click in.

I predict that most riders will find the audio click-nag a nuisance.



MHR said:


> Drivers and riders can choose to record audio by tapping the shield icon on the map screen and selecting “Record Audio.” If a driver has opted into the feature, riders will get a notification within the app before the trip begins.


Let me get this straight. Rather than just leave the option available from the get-go for that one time in a million where the driver needs the feature, the driver must OPT IN and thus make *every single passenger *they pick up uncomfortable?

I'm out.


----------



## Roadmasta (Aug 4, 2017)

Uber salute.


----------



## Gone_in_60_seconds (Jan 21, 2018)

Seamus said:


> Next up, Uber releases audio of @Another Uber Driver after being asked by a pax to go thru the McDonalds Drive Thru


That's the sound of someone getting kicked in the family jewels or losing the jewels with a very dull knife.


----------



## FerengiBob (Nov 6, 2019)

Nope


----------



## New2This (Dec 27, 2015)

Seamus said:


> Next up, Uber releases audio of @Another Uber Driver after being asked by a pax to go thru the McDonalds Drive Thru *to the Gaylord *


FIFY. 

The D.C. Board members would find this hilarious. 

Search "Gaylord" and @Another Uber Driver and you'll understand.


----------



## Clarity (Sep 20, 2018)

Beninmankato said:


> If we don't take the Uber mapped route the rider will get notified? This is not a good idea at all.


Yeah that’s not good. I always use Waze. This will give pax a reason to complain.


----------



## MHR (Jul 23, 2017)

If I get a notification that my pax has decided to record me I'm gonna automatically assume they're getting ready to kill me and live stream the audio.


----------



## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

> *Uber intros several safety features, including one that records audio during a ride*​
> 
> “Many people admit to not always buckling up in the back seat, especially on shorter trips, and that can create an uncomfortable situation for drivers,” Kristin Smith, road safety public policy manager at Uber, told TechCrunch. “We think introducing an audio reminder can help reinforce the message that people need to buckle up in every seat, every time. This feature builds on a number of seat belt awareness campaigns we’ve launched over the past several years. We’ve partnered with GHSA on our ‘Make It Click’ Campaign and have worked to educate riders and drivers on the importance of wearing a seat belt.”


What happens when the driver is not using his Nanny-ER-uh-*SEAT* belt?



New2This said:


> FIFY.
> The D.C. Board members would find this hilarious.
> Search "Gaylord" and @Another Uber Driver and you'll understand.


Thanks to some recent advances in user applications, I now can avoid the Gaylord. If, however, the Icky-D's stop is added upon fetching the customer, the quoted racket is often the result. ............either that or:







Of course, the result of my evicting the customer might be:












I am surprised that the phrase "go postal" was not replaced by "go Ramkissoon".


----------



## New2This (Dec 27, 2015)

Another Uber Driver said:


> What happens when the driver is not using his Nanny-ER-uh-*SEAT* belt?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


She was a hottie little spinner. Despite that, nope nope nope.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

MHR said:


> *Uber intros several safety features, including one that records audio during a ride*​
> @rebeccabellan / 6:00 am PST • December 2, 2021
> 
> View attachment 629711​
> ...


" New " SPYWARE !


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

MHR said:


> *Uber intros several safety features, including one that records audio during a ride*​
> @rebeccabellan / 6:00 am PST • December 2, 2021
> 
> View attachment 629711​
> ...


" RIDE CHECK "

PUSHING EVEN MORE BUTTONS WHILE DRIVING ?

ISNT TEXTING WHILE DRIVING ILLEGAL ?

UBER WANTS US TO BREAK THE LAW & ENDANGER PASSENGERS !


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

MHR said:


> *Uber intros several safety features, including one that records audio during a ride*​
> @rebeccabellan / 6:00 am PST • December 2, 2021
> 
> View attachment 629711​
> ...


Pizza does not invent Jackass ideas.

Pizza doesn't have a staff of programmers trying to justify their corporate existence.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Why are you stopped so long ?
" PASSENGER IS AT THEIR DRUG DEALERS".

WHY DID YOU PULL OVER FOR UNSCHEDULED STOP?

" SO PASSENGER COULD PUKE".


----------



## dapperstache (Apr 18, 2021)

.


----------



## Clarity (Sep 20, 2018)

dapperstache said:


> I can't see this being an issue. Uber and waze can share info back and forth. So long as you are following the waze route, I have to imagine you'll be fine.


Ok I hope so. I thought Waze and Uber simply exchanged addresses and not directions.


----------



## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

New2This said:


> She was a hottie little spinner. Despite that, nope nope nope.


.......even in my younger days, it would have been "no". You never know what these crazy drunks are going to do. You would be turning the Walk of Shame into the Push and Shove and GTFO of Shame...........either that, or you would be doing the Hundred Yard Dash of Shame out of her house/apartment as articles flew at you.


These days, I have a girlfriend plus I am too old for that kind of playing around, anyhow.


----------



## Lord Summerisle (Aug 15, 2015)

This supposed focus on safety is a bogus sham. When a drunk passenger grabbed the wheel and nearly killed the both of us, Uber could not give a crap. They didn't even call me to check if I was ok or if the passenger had been arrested. I'd rather they just dropped all pretence at caring than introduce these BS features.


----------



## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

_Tron_ said:


>


The only thing I'm scared of is uber
And I drive 12 hours a day in chicago!!!


----------



## 3.75 (Sep 29, 2017)

I skimmed this but what stands out to me is that essentially the app wants pax to buckle up YET I'm thinking that the intended audience is the driver. This assuming that the Uber driver app will constantly remind them to buckle up as well. I'm assuming both apps are going to be noisy when the map redirects too many times, essentially making the riders stare at the map so they make a big deal about drivers that long haul the trips.

Seems to me they want the pax to enforce the Uber suggested route and are giving them a tool so they can essentially manipulate the situation and record discussions and disagreements when it's convenient for the pax to do so and not when a driver needs it considering that drivers are allowed cameras but are strongly discouraged and aren't considered by anyone in customer support when arguing or appealing disciplinary action against a driver. 

All I have to say is that Uber should have dedicate people that review dashcam footage of a ride. Most of the time they choose not to properly investigate things as we all know.


----------



## TX Uber Ant (Aug 24, 2019)

This is nothing more than corporatism at play here. The insurance companies and big tech continue to try and control us. I ditched my dash cam because it made pax uncomfortable and actually what happens in my vehicle is purely my responsibility. I know there have been issues especially with LYFT drivers who tend to be more naive about when their pax who they relentlessly defend ends up murdering them but life does have a way of teaching people a lesson. This gig is not for everybody and it never has been. Nanny state features still won't save you from your fate if you are not the right cut to do this type of work.


----------



## Clarity (Sep 20, 2018)

Lord Summerisle said:


> This supposed focus on safety is a bogus sham. When a drunk passenger grabbed the wheel and nearly killed the both of us, Uber could not give a crap. They didn't even call me to check if I was ok or if the passenger had been arrested. I'd rather they just dropped all pretence at caring than introduce these BS features.


Do you have dashcam footage of this?


----------



## PukersAreAlwaysYourFault (Mar 25, 2021)

Uber's Guber said:


> Because having the ability to digitally annoy our pax before the trip even begins is a great strategy to enhance the ride experience and triple our potential for earning tips.


There will come a day where you will have wished you had it on.


----------



## Uber's Guber (Oct 22, 2017)

PukersAreAlwaysYourFault said:


> There will come a day where you will have wished you had it on.


I must be light years ahead of you…ever heard of a dash cam??


----------



## Daisey77 (Jan 13, 2016)

So the reminder for passengers to put on their seatbelts is audio on our phones but only a push reminder on their phones? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Audio on their phones? None of them are paying attention to the push notifications during the ride, especially 2 a.m. bar close.


Are the passengers notified were able to record or are they notified only if we start recording? Either way why shouldn't the driver be notified if the passenger is recording? And if everyone has the ability to record, why does anyone need to be notified at all that someone has "opted in", which that term in itself doesn't seem to be accurate.


----------



## dapperstache (Apr 18, 2021)

.


----------



## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

25rides7daysaweek said:


> Yea because that emergency button works so good
> I wonder exactly what the motivation
> for the record audio is
> Somehow I find it's hard to believe its
> designed in any way to help or protect us


Uber probably wants to protect Uber.


----------



## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

tohunt4me said:


> Why are you stopped so long ?
> " PASSENGER IS AT THEIR DRUG DEALERS".
> 
> WHY DID YOU PULL OVER FOR UNSCHEDULED STOP?
> ...


Getting closer and closer to Hal.


----------

