Giving Compass' Take:

• Uber is rolling out new features that let riders audio record their time with drivers, and some pilots allow video recordings.

• How can other ride-share apps increase accountability for their drivers and passenger safety? Are these new features replicable? 

• Learn how rideshare companies are making efforts toward sustainability. 

Uber plans to expand a safety feature that allows drivers and riders to take audio recordings of their rides to markets in the United States, according to a report in The Washington Post. The recordings would be used to investigate safety incidents.

The recording feature was made available to users in Brazil and Mexico two weeks ago. It allows either the rider or drive to initiate recording. When the trip ends, either party can report a safety incident and submit the audio recording.

In the pilot, the recordings are encrypted and stored on either the rider or driver's phone, with only Uber holding the encryption key. If the recordings are sent to Uber, they would be stored according to its privacy policy and only shared with law enforcement through proper legal channels like a subpoena or court order.

The recordings are part of Uber's safety push, in response to concerns about allegations of sexual assault, harassment, physical assaults and other misconduct. Uber has added an emergency button that lets riders and drivers directly reach 911 and created a "Ride Check" feature that detects an unexpected stop and makes sure everything is okay.

The idea behind the monitoring is to create a record in the event of a safety incident, since many investigations can be hampered if an incident happens in a car with just two people. However, launching in the U.S. could be difficult given the patchwork of recording laws across states, which differ in requiring approval from one or both parties.

Read the full article about Uber's rider safety policies by Jason Plautz at SmartCitiesDive.