RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Uber is expanding a security feature in Brazil and other Latin American countries: a four-digit code must be provided to the driver before the ride can begin. This PIN code is available via SMS or directly from the App. The company is trying to expedite this process by authorizing the trip via ultrasound.
The reports have been piling up on Twitter over the past 24 hours, coming from Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. In general, the security code is sent via SMS instead of being displayed on the App.
“The codes ensure the correct data when your exact location cannot be determined by our system,” explains Uber to a user. “It is sent to the mobile phone, entered in the driver’s app, and the trip can be started regularly. You will be asked for it on certain trips.”
This feature has been tested since June and officialized at an event earlier this month. “Users can choose to get a four-digit password, which must be passed on to the driver so that he may start the trip in the App,” says the company.
Uber failed to notify users about the security code
In the future, the security code will be retransmitted by ultrasound to the driver’s cell phone: the validation process will then be automatic, and the passenger will receive a confirmation on the smartphone (such as a vibration).
But for now, the verification code is taking users by surprise. The App appears to give no prior notice that the driver will need to be provided with a PIN: this is an issue if the phone is out of battery power, or if a car is ordered for someone else.
When asked about the change, Uber’s advisor mentioned a release two weeks ago that announced that new security features “would be tested in a number of cities”.
In addition, Uber has been testing a feature for passengers or drivers to start an audio recording if they feel unsafe; this can be used in investigations or shared with authorities.
And with Ride Check, the Uber app uses your smartphone’s sensors to detect unexpected events during the trip, such as unexpected stops or accidents.