South African e-hailing platform Bolt has introduced new trip monitoring and driver alert features to its app to try and curb some of the challenges both drivers and passengers have been facing in terms of safety. Picture: Supplied
South African e-hailing platform Bolt has introduced new trip monitoring and driver alert features to its app to try and curb some of the challenges both drivers and passengers have been facing in terms of safety.
This follows Bolt’s recent audio trip recording and selfie verification upgrades to the application in efforts to ramp up safety measures for e-hailers users and employees.
The trip monitoring feature enables the app to connect with passengers and drivers in-app when a vehicle remains stationary for an extended period.
The driver alerts feature equips drivers with valuable information about upcoming trips and their location, particularly in areas flagged for safety concerns.
The Estonian-founded platform also wants to include more safety features in the future, including route deviation and delayed ride completion.
“At Bolt, safety is our top priority, and we are constantly working on new products and features to continue to improve the safety ecosystem of the Bolt app, offering drivers and passengers a high-quality ride-hailing experience.
“Rolling out new trip safety monitoring features, as well as driver alerts, is the latest set of upgrades to our ongoing efforts to make it possible for drivers and passengers to seek support if they ever need it,” said head of Bolt for eastern and southern Africa, Takura Malaba.
The audio trip recording feature lets both drivers and passengers initiate an audio recording of their trip within the Bolt app.
New users on the platform will also have to upload their identification document (ID) to authenticate their details before using the service.
Bolt said the validation process takes a couple of minutes, and riders only have to take a selfie the first time they place an order.
The new feature will be tested in South Africa and requires the latest version of the app to be used.
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