Reports say that by the end of the week Uber riders will be able to use a four-digit pin code to verify they’re getting into the right car.
With the new feature, Uber sends a four-digit pin code to the rider. Then, before getting into the car, the rider tells the driver the pin code. The driver enters the pin code into the app, and if everything matches up, the rider gets a notification that says “your ride is verified.”
The new feature comes after a number of states have been pushing for more safety requirements for Uber drivers following the death of 21-year-old Samantha “Sami” Josephson, who was murdered in March after getting into the car of a man impersonating an Uber driver.
Back in December Uber released a report that also raised concerns regarding safety. The report revealed that 464 people, mostly riders, reported that they were raped while using its services in the U.S. in 2017 and 2018, and there were more than 3,000 assaults reported in 2018.
In New Jersey a law passed requiring ride-hailing drivers to display identification signs on the car’s front windshield or rear window. North Carolina passed a law requiring Uber and Lyft drivers to display lighted signs.
Rebecca Payne, senior product manager at Uber, said that the best way to make sure you are getting into the right car is to check the license plate.