Uber has rolled out a new safety feature across the UK that lets passengers record the audio of their journey through the app — and as a driver, it’s worth understanding exactly how it works before you next pick up.
The feature went live from 28 May, with London following slightly later than the rest of the country. Riders can choose to start an audio recording either before or during a trip, simply by tapping a record button in the app.
The key detail for drivers: if a passenger sets the feature to record before the trip begins, you’ll get a notification, and you can cancel the booking without penalty if you’d rather not be recorded. However, if a passenger activates recording mid-journey, you won’t be notified at that point — Uber says this is to avoid escalating a situation where someone already feels unsafe. You would only be told afterwards if the recording is submitted to Uber as part of a safety report.
On privacy, the recordings are encrypted and stored on the passenger’s own device. Uber itself can’t listen to them unless the rider uploads the clip as part of a safety report. Any recording that isn’t submitted as evidence is automatically deleted after 14 days.
Alongside the recording tool, Uber is also introducing verified passenger badges, which appear on a rider’s profile once their details have been cross-checked. Uber UK boss Andrew Brem said the features are designed to give both riders and drivers extra peace of mind, and at least one driver representative has welcomed the verification badge as something that makes accepting bookings feel safer.
Whether you see it as reassurance or just one more thing to keep an eye on, it’s now part of the job — so it pays to know where you stand.
For more on the day-to-day realities of life behind the wheel — and tools like the Uber Earnings Calculator to help you track what you’re actually taking home — head over to DriverMatty.com.
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