Uber, one of the leading ride-hailing platforms has rolled-out its new tech-enabled safety feature, the ‘audio seatbelt reminder’ across India. This the company says industry-first feature is designed to encourage riders to wear their seatbelts to improve safety on the platform.
As per a report published by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), more than 16,000 persons were killed in road accidents in 2021 due to not wearing a seatbelt.
The new feature prompts riders to buckle-in at the beginning of their first 5 Uber trips and on every 5th trip afterwards. Once a rider books an Uber trip and enters the vehicle, the driver’s phone will play an audio reminder asking riders to “please use the rear seat belt for your safety”. At the same time, the rider’s phone will receive an in-app push notification reminding him/her to buckle-in before the trip starts.
Uber says India is the first country where it is using a voice reminder and an in-app notification to nudge riders to wear seat belts in the back seat.
Dr. VK Singh, Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways and Civil Aviation, Government of India, said, “Over the last few years, India has made progress on improving road infrastructure and network connectivity. It is equally important that we invest in solutions that improve road safety to reduce fatalities caused due to road accidents. Ridesharing companies like Uber have a significant role to play in promoting road safety. The audio seatbelt reminder is a positive step and will encourage seatbelt compliance.”
Sooraj Nair, Head of Safety Operations, Uber India and South Asia, said, “We are constantly looking at ways to improve platform safety through tech-enabled features and strengthening support to enhance the experience for both riders and drivers alike. The Audio Seatbelt Reminder is yet another technology-led feature that will further our commitment to making roads safer for all.”
