Uber launches pin codes to increase safety

Written by Josefine Fokuhl

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January 8, 2020

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Uber (NYSE: UBER) is offering riders across the U.S. and Canada a four-digit pin code to increase the riders safety. Since Tuesday the Company provides their riders with a four-digit pin code to make sure they are getting into the right car and aims the usage of the new feature for all riders by the end of the week. 

The action to increase the safety of the riders follows the death of Samantha Josephson, a 21-year-old who was killed after getting into the car of a man pretending to be her driver.

States have been pushing for additional safety requirements for ride-hailing drivers since the incident in March. In New Jersey, where Josephson grew up, and North Carolina law requirements for drivers were passed to show their identity more visibly to the riders.

If requesting a ride, Uber’s new feature sends a four-digit pin code to the rider. When the Uber driver arrives, the rider tells the driver the pin code before getting into his car. The driver enters the four-digit pin code into the app and if he is the right driver, the rider gets a notification saying that the ride is verified. 

Riders have the choice whether or not they want to use Uber’s new feature. They can also choose to only activate it at nighttime. 

The Company further recommends for riders to check the driver’s license plate that is provided in the app, at their arrival. 

 The ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft (LYFT), Uber’s main competitor in the U.S. have faced safety issues in the past. Uber released a report in December of 2019 that revealed 464 people reported they were raped while using Uber, most of them drivers. Although Lyft announced to release a similar report, the ride-hailing Company hasn’t until today. 

Last week Uber announced the official close of the Company’s acquisition of Careem Networks FZ-LLC for USD 3.1 billion.

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