Uber introduces new safety feature to prevent riders from getting into the wrong car

As more and more people use Uber, getting in the wrong Uber or car is a known issue, especially in crowded city areas. In most cases it can be a harmless mistake but can be a safety risk. In order to prevent that, Uber is introducing a new safety feature: Check Your Ride.

Starting today, riders will see a push notification when they get matched to a driver, reminding them to check if the car license plate and driver match what is shown in the app just before their car arrives. The alert will go live today and will progressively roll out to all riders in the days ahead.

Also, Uber is adding a banner in the app, starting from the moment you get matched with a driver until the moment you start your trip, to remind you how to confirm the right car.

In addition, riders can also ask the driver to confirm their name. A driver sees the rider’s name in their app just as the driver’s name is displayed in the rider app. To safely exchange names, they can ask, “Who are you here to pick up?” The driver may also ask rider to confirm their name (“Who’s your driver?”).