LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Uber is expanding in-app safety features for both riders and drivers in the Las Vegas valley.
On Wednesday, the ride-share company announced an expansion of the Safety Toolkit in the Uber app, which will include the option to initiate an audio recording of the trip. The feature was originally launched in Latin America in 2019, according to a company press release, and is currently live in more than a dozen countries and nearly 150 U.S. cities.
"No one will be able to listen to the recording, including Uber, unless a driver or rider submits a safety report to Uber and attaches the audio file," company officials said in a release.
Riders and drivers will both receive an in-app notification before starting a trip if they are matched with another user who has the feature enabled. If a rider or driver does not want to be recorded, Uber officials recommend canceling the trip.
Following the conclusion of the trip, Uber officials will not have access to the recording unless attached to a safety report but will be granted access and the right to distribute the file in emergency cases.
In a release, Uber officials say they hope the feature can "help encourage safe and comfortable interactions" as well as add "an additional layer of safety" to trips.
