Uber allows trip video recording to address disputes enhances earning options for drivers

New Delhi, Oct 29 (PTI) Ride-hailing app Uber has allowed drivers to record trip videos in an encrypted format for dispute settlements and added new features to offer higher-earning options for its about 20 lakh driver partners, a senior company official said on Thursday.

     Uber India and South Asia Director for supply operations Aditya Kapoor said law enforcement agencies can retrieve and access the video by contacting the company.

     "To make it safer, we have rolled out a record of my trip feature for the driver. Neither Uber, the driver, nor the rider can access those recordings.

     “If there is an incident where a local enforcement agency (LEA) wants the copy of the recording, then only they can retrieve that recording by writing to us. This is just done so that drivers get more confidence. If something happens on the trip, we are able to put a completely unbiased opinion when the LEAs are looking at it," he said.

     The consumer will get an option to opt for video recording in the Uber app. As part of the safety update, the drivers will get to flag inappropriate messages and cancel the trip without any cost on them.

     They will also get emergency ambulance access.

     The ride-hailing company has added several options to enhance earning opportunities for drivers, including expansion of bike ride to intercity, augmenting earnings by parcel delivery, extra money for allowing pets in their car etc.

     "We have made the platform easier for the drivers, a lot more safer for the drivers and also providing them more opportunities to earn more. For ease in earning, we have launched earn first, pay later. Those passes are already there in the market. Then we have revamped our driver app to make it simple," Kapoor said.

     The company has expanded Uber Bike for intercity travel and also given them an option to augment their earning by delivering business and personal parcels. "We have just rolled this intercity Uber Bike in a few geographies right now. We are trying to address a simple use case.

     A person trying to move from let's say Delhi to Meerut or Delhi to Agra, can probably go via a bike if he chooses to. We thought that this could be a good feature for both the drivers and the riders," Kapoor said. He said that there are limits on intercity but it varies from geography to geography.

     "Most of the services are live in select geographies and will be rolled out across India very soon," Kapoor said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)