Skip to main content

Uber details plans for improved rider safety, includes lie detector tests for new drivers

Following a recent incident in India where an Uber driver was accused of raping a passenger, there’s been increasing scrutiny of the ride-hailing service’s background check procedures for hiring new drivers. In a bid to get on top of the situation and provide some balance to the discussion, the company this week moved to reassure users and regulators around the world that it’s serious about safety.

Phillip Cardenas, head of global safety at Uber, took to the company’s blog this week to explain how it intends to improve its driver selection process to reduce the chances of an Uber ride taking a wrong turn, so to speak.

Recommended Videos

It’s inevitable that with so many drivers joining Uber’s ranks in the 260 or so cities in which it operates, the occasional criminal-minded employee will slip through the net. However, aware that the company can’t survive unless passengers have a high level of trust in the driver selection process, Cardenas on Wednesday announced plans for new safety procedures.

These include “research and development on biometrics and voice verification…for enhanced driver screening” as well as the implementation of Safety Incident Response Teams charged with providing immediate and around-the-clock support in the event of a driver-related incident.

Lie detector tests

Cardenas even talks of “polygraph exams that fill gaps in available data” and of including its own processes alongside existing screening for commercial licenses.

Finally, it plans to work with groups with expert knowledge in areas such as women’s safety, conflict resolution, and road safety.

For some onlookers, the plans will sound somewhat vague, with their effectiveness at this stage uncertain. In addition, Cardenas declines to offer any details on when exactly the new procedures might be implemented. However, the company knows it has to make real and meaningful changes at the earliest opportunity to give it a better chance of singling out drivers that could otherwise land it with more negative headlines.

Current measures

Every Uber ride is currently traced by GPS, with the service using a two-way rating system so that good and not-so-good experiences are noted, with Uber able to take action against poorly performing drivers.

The Uber app also shows a driver’s photo, license plate number, and vehicle type, allowing the passenger to check before entering the vehicle that the driver is indeed the one they were expecting.

Cardenas notes in his blog post that Uber’s existing “multi-layered” background checks have seen applications from “tens of thousands” of drivers turned down.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Apple’s iOS 26 public beta may finally arrive next week
Could apple's iOS 26 beta drop next week?
The control center with Liquid Design on the iOS 26 developer beta 1 running on the iPhone 16 Pro

Why it matters: Apple fans dying to try the latest iPhone OS have faced a wait longer than expected for the iOS 26 public beta, diverging from Apple's usually rapid rollout. A near-term release could help ramp up user testing , work out bugs, and increase excitement ahead of the full launch this fall, especially as rivals like Google push AI-heavy Android updates.

The big idea: Multiple reports suggest Apple is looking at July 23rd for the iOS public beta debut, based on insights from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This follows the developer beta 3 rollout on July 7, which skipped the typical one-week public follow-up.

Read more
Act fast and save $400 on the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar
The Garmin Fenix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar in Carbon Gray.

We're getting to the point where it is more and more affordable to get one of the best smartwatches or fitness trackers. The tech has been around for quite some time and we're even to the point where some government officials are wanting everyone to have a health tracker. So, I shouldn't be too surprised to see this deal on the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar at its lowest price on Amazon, ever, but I am a little bit. I just covered the gray and orange version getting a $250 discount a few months ago and here I am, looking at a different color with a $400 discount. Right now you can get the 47mm, Carbon Gray colored, Garmin Fenix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar for just $500, a very decent drop from its usual $900, by tapping the button below. If you want, however, keep on reading to get a reminder on just how great this smartwatch is.

$500 at Amazon

Read more
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 preorder deals plus $50 credit
The back of the Galaxy Z Fold 7

Samsung Galaxy phones have entered their lucky number 7 era. We've got the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE all coming out later this month. And, if you pre-order now, you can yours by July 25th. Plus, if you pre-order after tapping the button you will receive an additional $50 credit in addition to all other pre-order discounts. This is the strongest pre-order offer available, so be sure to take advantage of it. Tap the button now and start making your selections. Just note that after you hit the button you'll only have 30 minutes to get the $50 credit. As a result, we recommend clicking now and then following along with the pre-order advice guide.

Preorder now

Read more