Uber Launches Emergency Button, Audio Recording

By: Okosun Dennis

e-hailing company Uber, in partnership with Sety Company, has launched Emergency Button to secure the lives of riders and drivers across the cities where it operates.

The feature is to provide emergency assistance to drivers and riders on the Uber in case of broken or damaged glasses by criminals, phone snatching, accidents and other health challenges.

During the launch at the Wings Office Complex, Victoria Island, Lagos, the Country Manager, Uber Nigeria, Tope Akinwumi explained that in cities where it operates, like in Joburg, Lagos and Abuja, there are emergency numbers, but that measure is not enough.

According to him, every driver deserves to feel safe on a trip that is why every trip is tracked via GPS, and if anything unexpected happens, the newly launched Emergency Button gets him the needed responders at the fastest time possible.

The most patronised ride-hailing company also launched an audio-recording feature that would enable both riders and drivers to record an ongoing trip.

Where incidents arise, the rider will make a report with the audio recording as evidence to substantiate such claims.

Explaining further on the audio recording, Tope disclosed that they have put necessary measures in place, including privacy rules.

The recording feature is on the rider’s phone, but if there are no issues, it wipes off in time.

Another feature of the innovation is insurance to help access compensation while on a trip.

How Emergency Button Works

“In Uber, safety is the most important thing to us and that is why we are investing in technology to ensure you are safe while on trip and off the trip,” Akinwumi said.

“We are partnering Sety Safety Technology to provide that service to the riders and drivers.”

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Sety Limited, Nnamdi Melie explained how the technology is deployed to for the benefit of both riders and drivers.

He said Sety is collaborating with emergency providers like ambulance services, security agencies, private security companies, and other responders in order to provide these essential services.

According to him, If you are in any kind of danger and need help, you call Sety, and you get an ambulance or whatever resources to attend to your needs, including medical evacuation.

“If you are robbed, you press the app, we answer you and if we need to send security personnel, they would come. Also, if it is to get out of a dangerous situation, we send security men. It could be private security, police or a combination of both. The most important thing is to ensure someone gets to you fast.

“A lot of things happen during peak periods especially in the morning or in the night. Uber is partnering with us to embed our technology. We have a Command and Control Centre where all the request are received, they ask few questions and would be able to establish that there is a need to send somebody. But if it is something that the two persons can resolve like quarrel involving charges, things like that would need any responder.”

Melie clarified that in the area of intervention like accident, they ensure that the victim is taken to hospital and admitted for treatment.

“We rely on specialist partners – ambulance providers – who also have hospitals they partner so when they bring patients on behalf of Uber, the patients would be accepted.”

On how responders will manuovre the peculiar traffic situation especially in Lagos, and get to victims, he said they have “First Responders on Bike” for medics and security to take care of the traffic situation and ensure that they respond to riders and drivers in record time.

“However, they may have some limitation in the number of things they can intervene, but the most important thing is that somebody is able to get to you promptly.

“We are partnering with two private security companies who liaise with security agencies for a seamless service.

However, as a technology company, ours is to bring everybody together through our platforms”

On his part, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Safety Commission, Lanre Mogbola commended Uber as it has continued to break the barriers in safety and movement, adding that safety is everybody’s business.

Citing the mantra “See something, Say something”, he admonished Lagosians to key into the safety culture especially when driving, to mitigate unnecessary crashes.

Present at the briefing included the General Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, Uber, Kagjso Khaole, other senior staffers of Uber, and Sety Company.