Uber’s new RideCheck feature aims to make your trip safer: Here’s how it works

Uber had announced a bunch of security features for India including the RideCheck, an audio recording feature and PIN verification. The RideCheck is live from today

Uber had announced a bunch of security features for India including the RideCheck, an audio recording feature and PIN verification. The RideCheck is live from today (AP)

Earlier this month Uber had announced a bunch of security features for India. This included RideCheck, an Ola-type PIN verification system and an audio recording feature. At the time of announcement the company had said that these features would be gradually rolled out over time and had not mentioned dates.

However, an announcement from Uber tells us that the RideCheck feature is now live. With this feature, Uber is basically going to keep a tab on long mid-trip halts.

RideCheck keeps a tab on trips and will flag irregularities like long, unexpected stops. Uber explained that long halts, in some rare cases, pose as safety risks, especially for women. So, if the company detects an unexpected stop or a long stop, they will initiate a RideCheck by reaching out to both the driver and the rider.

"If we notice anything out of the ordinary like an unexpected long stop, we'll reach out via RideCheck to provide you with the tools you need, to get help immediately," Uber explained.

"When a RideCheck is initiated, both a rider and driver will receive a notification asking if everything is OK. They can let us know through the app that all is well, or take other actions like using the emergency button or reporting the issue to Uber's 24×7 safety helpline. Our safety team may also follow up by phone to inquire about the RideCheck," the company added.

This is the first time Uber is actually reaching out to riders or drivers while a trip is on the way to offer tools they might need for help.