Johannesburg - E-hailing service Bolt said it would introduce a new audio feature for customers who feel unsafe during a trip.
Bolt said the new feature empowers both drivers and passengers to initiate an audio recording of their trip within the Bolt app, offering a solution in situations where they may feel unsafe during the trip.
The recorded audio can be easily reported to Bolt's Customer Support team, facilitating swift and efficient handling of safety-related concerns.
Bolt regional manager Takura Malaba said this initiative is a testament to Bolt's commitment to continually enhancing the safety measures available on its platform.
"We continuously develop safety features and tools that address driver and passenger safety concerns, and the audio trip recording feature is the newest addition to our in-app safety toolkit for our Bolt community to use if they’re ever feeling uncomfortable during a ride, offering drivers and passengers a high-quality ride-hailing experience," Malaba said.
Malaba said to use the audio trip recording feature, users can activate it only when their Bolt trip is in progress.
"When shared as an attachment in a safety case raised with Customer Support, Bolt gains access to the recorded audio. This feature's initial launch and testing will be limited to specific cities across South Africa, requiring users to have the most recent version of the Bolt app installed to access it," Malaba said.
This feature adds to Bolt's comprehensive suite of existing safety features for passengers and drivers, further strengthening the company's in-app safety toolkit. By continually investing in safety upgrades, Bolt aims to provide all its users with a secure and reliable transportation experience.
Recent safety features integrated into the app include a driver selfie-verification feature to increase passenger safety by combating driver impersonation, trip sharing for real-time location sharing with friends and family, and the SOS emergency assist button with the Automobile Association (AA) to help drivers and passengers access an emergency response service. Activating this service shares the user's details and location with AA’s 24/7 contact centre which then immediately deploys private security and emergency services.
Bolt said other existing safety tools available to drivers and passengers include free trauma counselling following any traumatic incident while using the platform through partner Oaksure, and Bolt Trip Protection at no cost to cover emergency medical expenses, permanent disability, and death caused by an incident while on a Bolt trip.
The Star