Johannesburg – Amid rising considerations round e-hailing driver and passenger security in South Africa, inDrive has launched a brand new in-app audio recording characteristic.
The app is designed to enhance security, assist honest dispute decision and encourage respectful interplay between drivers and passengers throughout journeys.
The characteristic, now out there inside the inDrive Security Centre within the app, permits both a driver or a passenger to manually activate audio recording throughout a experience.
As soon as switched on, it securely captures in-trip audio that can be utilized as supporting proof within the occasion of a criticism or dispute.
Customers are notified of its availability by way of in-app prompts and might entry it by tapping the Security Centre icon and choosing the recording choice.
Ashif Black, Nation Consultant for South Africa at inDrive, mentioned the rollout displays the platform’s ongoing concentrate on constructing sensible, user-led security instruments.
“This audio recording device provides each drivers and passengers an extra layer of readability in conditions the place misunderstandings would possibly come up,” mentioned Black.
“It’s designed to assist equity, not surveillance, and it sits alongside our present security options, together with in-trip monitoring, experience sharing and 24/7 in-app assist.”
The characteristic additionally displays inDrive’s mission to problem injustice by creating fairer and extra clear experiences for each riders and drivers.
By offering further context throughout disputes, audio recording helps assist extra balanced and knowledgeable resolutions.
The characteristic is meant primarily as a preventative and de-escalation device. Black notes that the majority ride-related points aren’t critical incidents however on a regular basis misunderstandings, from pickup confusion to disagreements over wait occasions or routes.
In creating an extra file of interplay, the platform goals to cut back uncertainty in these conditions and encourage extra aware engagement between customers.
“Even earlier than it’s utilized in a criticism, the presence of a recording choice can shift behaviour in a optimistic approach,” Black added.
“It reinforces mutual respect and helps each events really feel safer all through the journey.”
Information safety
Privateness stays central to the characteristic’s design.
All audio recordings are end-to-end encrypted and can’t be accessed, downloaded or shared by both celebration.
inDrive additionally confirmed that it doesn’t share recordings with third events.
The encryption key’s held solely by inDrive’s safety workforce and is barely used within the occasion of an official criticism requiring investigation.
Customers should additionally give specific consent for any recording to be shared with inDrive Help within the occasion of a dispute decision course of.
Black additional emphasised that the characteristic can’t be activated covertly.
It requires handbook activation by both the driving force or passenger, and can’t run within the background with out consumer motion.
“Our assist groups don’t depend on a single information level,” mentioned Black. “Audio is one component in a broader assessment course of.
This helps be certain that any try to control a state of affairs by any celebration concerned is recognized by means of context and sample evaluation.”
inDrive famous that these options type a part of its wider dedication to creating ride-hailing extra clear and community-driven, significantly in markets the place security expectations and regulatory frameworks proceed to evolve.
The initiative additionally helps the corporate’s ambition to positively impression one billion folks by 2030 by utilizing know-how to create safer and extra accessible mobility experiences.
The audio characteristic is now stay for customers throughout South Africa by way of the most recent model of the inDrive app.
