Uber makes security tools easier to access and customize

Many women who use rideshare services regularly text travel details to loved ones and take other precautions, especially at night. Now, Uber is putting all of its safety tools in one place, making them easier to access and allowing users to customize them so they turn on automatically. In the app’s new safety preferences section, passengers can choose to schedule when the safety tool automatically activates, whether it’s after 9pm, on every ride on weekends, or just for rides that start within 50 meters of a bar or restaurant . If they choose, they can also ensure that Uber’s safety features are active every time they ride.

One of the tools that passengers can activate in the new portal is audio recording, which the company launched a while ago. Uber assured users that the recordings are encrypted and cannot be accessed by anyone, not even the company. However, if anything happens during the trip, passengers can choose to report the incident and share the recording with Uber as evidence. Users can also turn on PIN verification to ensure they’re getting into the right vehicle, as well as RideCheck, which helps Uber detect if a ride veers off course or stops unexpectedly. Finally, there’s Share My Trip, which allows passengers to automatically share their real-time location and trip details with trusted contacts.

Currently, the new security preference page is only available in the United States, Canada, and Latin American countries, but the company plans to expand its availability to more regions. To access the new portal, users can go to Settings and find a link to it, or click on the Security Toolkit blue shield on the go and then click on Set Security Preferences.