- Monday, April 29, 2024
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Ride-hailing firm, Bolt has announced that it is testing its new rider
verification feature to upgrade driver safety. This is part of Bolt’s ongoing
investment in safety features on its platform, reinforcing its unwavering
commitment to driver safety and enhancing driver-rider trust. This in-app
feature is designed to bolster driver safety by implementing a stringent
verification process for new riders joining the Bolt platform.
As part of this in-app feature, new riders to the platform
will be asked to take a selfie before they are able to place a ride-hailing
order. For the selfie to be valid, it needs to be an authentic picture of a
physically present person, with the face clearly visible. The rider will not be
able to place a ride-hailing order if their selfie is not valid. The rider must
also upload an identification document, which Bolt will check against the
selfie. The validation process takes a couple of minutes, and riders only have
to take a selfie the first time they place an order. This feature will be
tested in Nigeria, and requires the latest version of the app to use.
Country Manager for Bolt Nigeria, Yahaya Mohammed, said: “At Bolt, we know from our 150M+
customers and network of 3.5 million fleet, driver and courier partners that
feeling safe is a critical part of a high-quality ride-hailing experience.
That’s why safety is our top priority, and rider verification is the newest
feature we’re testing dedicated to upgrading driver safety. It’s part of our
ongoing investment in new products, features, and our dedicated in-house
specially trained safety team, to ensure that we can continue to improve the
safety ecosystem of the Bolt app.”
This is the latest safety feature announced by Bolt, with the
tests joining a suite of existing driver safety features. Existing driver
safety features include an emergency response service integrated into the app.
When activated, this service shares the driver’s details and location with AA’s
24/7 contact centre and then deploys private security and emergency services
immediately. Lastly, an audio recording feature that allows drivers to trigger
an in-app audio recording if they ever feel uncomfortable during a ride.
Recordings are encrypted and stored on the recorder’s device for 24 hours.
Neither driver nor passenger is able to access the recording for any other
purpose than to attach it to a Customer Support case. If the encrypted
recording is not submitted to the Bolt Customer Support team, it is deleted
within 24 hours.
The testing of the Rider Verification feature represents a
pivotal step in Bolt's ongoing efforts to continually enhance safety measures
on its platform. Passengers are encouraged to update their Bolt app to the
latest version to access this feature and contribute to the collective goal of
creating a safer ridesharing environment.
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