US - Uber drivers will now have to take a selfie before picking up passengers to authenticate their identities.
The company introduces its latest security feature known as Real-Time ID Check which protects the drivers and passengers through Microsoft Cognitive Services. The company will expand its feature in all the cities of United States.
"Real-Time ID Check prompts drivers to share a selfie before going online to help ensure the driver using the app matches the account we have on file. This prevents fraud and protects drivers' accounts from being compromised. It also protects riders by building another layer of accountability into the app to ensure the right person is behind the wheel," Uber shared in a blog post.
How the feature works:
-Drivers will be asked systematically to take a selfie in the Uber app before welcoming rides.
-By means of Microsoft's Cognitive Services, it will directly compare the photo to the account's photo on their file.
-If the two photos won't correspond, the account will be blocked temporarily while the company check the situation.
During Uber's trial of Real-Time ID Check, the majority of mismatches occurred were because of hazy profile pictures and more than 99 percent drivers were confirmed.
Since the confirmation will only take a few seconds to be complete, it will effectively build more security into the app.
Uber is constantly developing and expanding latest solutions to avoid and lessen driving risks.
"Our Global Safety Team continues to explore technologies that keep riders and drivers safe and secure. For example, we've begun using GPS and smartphone technology to detect and prevent dangerous driving behavior such as fast acceleration and hard braking. Riders receive their driver's name, photo and vehicle information to ensure they get into the right car with the right driver. We've built into the app easy ways for people to share their journey on a map with friends and family," Joe Sullivan wrote.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
