After Ola Cabs, Uber too introduces number masking to protect identity of Indian passengers

NEW DELHI: Just a week back, Ola Cabs had announced an initiative, wherein drivers calling from their Ola mobile devices would not be able to see the consumer’s mobile number.

Now, Uber has announced that it has introduced a new feature for India in the form of disguised phone numbers.

In a mail sent to passengers, Uber said, “Starting today, we are rolling out our disguised phone number technology in India. This ensures that all calls between you and our driver-partners are connected using anonymous phone numbers. So while you can communicate with each other to coordinate a pick-up location, the driver will never have your personal phone number (and vice versa).”

After the infamous incident in Delhi, Uber has announced a series of initiatives for ensuring passenger safety.

These include:

* Using Send Status riders can easily share ride details, including the specific route and estimated time of arrival, with friends or family so they can see a rider’s current GPS location and arrival time.

* Riders can also see the route on the map in the app. The real-time location is clearly marked so riders know where they are on their journey—and if they are on the right route.

* Uber uses GPS to keep a record of where a driver goes during the ride, creating accountability and a strong incentive for good behaviour

* The in-app SOS button has been piloted in India (is available across all 22 cities) to alert the local police should a rider need immediate assistance in the event of an emergency, and connect the rider to local police by dialing ‘100’.

(First published in Dataquest)