Uber India introduces mask verification selfie for riders as a new safety policy

Just like it is mandatory for an Uber cab driver must wear a mask and sanitise the vehicle after every ride, it is also necessary that a rider wears a mask and follows all coronavirus guidelines. Uber has introduced a new safety policy that will ensure that both the driver and the rider follow the rules. Introduced in India on Monday, 19 October, the riders, who have been tagged for not wearing masks on a previous trip, will be asked by Uber to take a selfie which shows them wearing a mask, in order to book their next trip.A press release from the company said that this new feature will ensure that the feedback received from drivers is also incorporated in making the platform safer for the next user.[caption id="attachment_7326871" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Uber logo.[/caption]The mask verification system via selfie is however not a new feature as Uber had introduced the technology way back in May this year. Uber drivers had to send a selfie while wearing a mask to prove that they are safe to be assigned rides. The firm claims that more than 17.44 million verifications have been carried out throughout India since then.Pavan Vaish, Head of Supply and Driver Operations of Uber India SA, said, “At Uber, we believe accountability is a two-way street. Earlier this year, we designed innovative technology to ensure that drivers were actually wearing masks before accepting trips. Today, we’ve devised similar technology for riders who’ve previously been called out for not wearing a mask while on-trip”.He said that the new policy will raise the bar on safety and help the Uber rides become more credible for both the drivers as well as riders. Earlier, the firm also launched the Go Online Checklist feature and made it mandatory for riders to wear masks. Also, the drivers were given mandatory awareness guidelines on COVID-19. The drivers have been given masks and sanitisers all around the country and both the riders as well as drivers have the provision of cancelling the ride if they find the other person is not wearing a mask. Uber added that no cancellation fee is charged in such cases.