Grab introduces new safety feature which allows passengers and drivers to record audio during rides

A new safety feature that will allow passengers and drivers to record audio during rides will be rolled out progressively from Mar 21. 

Called AudioProtect, these recordings can be used to assist in investigations for accidents and instances of verbal, physical, sexual harassment and abuse.

Both the passenger and driver must give consent via the Grab app before any recording of audio will take place. Users can enable AudioProtect in their account safety settings.

When a ride starts, passengers will see an “AudioProtect: On” button in the app indicating that recording has started. The feature can be disabled any time before a ride starts.

The recordings will be encrypted and stored on the passenger’s device for a maximum of five days, before being automatically deleted if no incident is reported.

The files cannot be accessed by either the passenger or the driver and will only be accessed by Grab’s safety team if a safety-related incident occurs. 

Aside from AudioProtect, Grab’s safety features also include the Share My Ride option, where users can share their live location with anyone in their contact list together with the driver’s details and the estimated time of arrival.

Another feature is the SOS button, where users can access an emergency hotline to contact the police or an ambulance should immediate assistance be required. It also triggers a message to the user’s pre-saved emergency contacts.

AudioProtect will be available on all Grab rides except for GrabShare and GrabHitch.