![Bolt upgrades driver and rider safety with new safety features in Thailand](/img/files/20240307/iqbeaea99bdbd68a8dab60ccfb4eee7d04.jpg)
Bolt, the global shared mobility business, upgrades driver and rider safety by introducing two new n-app safety features. The company is introducing an in-app trip recording feature and rider verification tests in Thailand.
Audio trip recording is a new feature as part of its in-app safety toolkit, offering drivers and riders the ability to trigger an audio recording of their trip in the Bolt app if they ever feel uncomfortable during a ride and report to our Customer Support team. This is part of Bolt's ongoing investment in upgrades to safety features on its platform, and will help its Customer Support teams manage and solve safety enquiries more quickly and effectively.
The audio trip recording feature can only be activated during an ongoing Bolt ride, and Bolt will be able to access a recording when it's shared as an attachment to a safety case raised with Customer Support. Neither driver nor rider is able to play or listen to the recording. This feature will be launched in Thailand, and requires the latest version of the app to use.
Bolt is also testing its new rider verification feature to upgrade driver safety. This is part of Bolt's ongoing investment in upgrades to safety features on its platform, enhancing driver-rider trust and offering drivers more reasons to pick up an order, which in term will translate to an overall faster, more efficient experience for riders.
As part of this in-app feature, new riders to the platform will be asked to take a selfie before they are able to place a ride-hailing order. For the selfie to be valid, it needs to be an authentic picture of a physically present person, with the face clearly visible. The rider will not be able to place a ride-hailing order if their selfie is not valid. The rider must also upload an identification document, which Bolt will check against the selfie. The validation process takes from a few seconds to a couple of minutes, and riders only have to take a selfie the first time they place an order. This feature will be tested in Thailand, and requires the latest version of the app to use.
These are the latest safety features announced by Bolt, with the tests joining a suite of existing driver safety features. Existing driver safety features include 24/7 support, rider management, which enables Bolt to block customers who display inappropriate behaviour, phone masking to hide Bolt drivers' phone numbers should they need to contact a rider, and trip monitoring alerts to Bolt's safety team of any drivers' cars that remain still for too long to ensure everything's okay. Learn more about our features from the Bolt driver safety page.
Recent rider safety features include identity verification for drivers during registration and on an ongoing basis, trip sharing for real-time location sharing with friends and family, and the emergency assist button to help riders quickly and discreetly alert emergency services or private security partners. Learn more about our features from the Bolt rider safety page and view our Privacy Notices here.
Existing driver safety features include rider management, which enables Bolt to block customers who display inappropriate behaviour, phone masking to hide Bolt drivers' phone numbers should they need to contact a rider, and trip monitoring alerts to Bolt's safety team of any drivers' cars that remain still for too long to ensure everything's okay. Learn more about our features from the Bolt driver safety page.
Nathadon Suksiritarnan at Bolt said: "At Bolt, we know from our 150M+ customers and network of 3.5 million fleet, driver and courier partners that feeling safe is a critical part of a high quality ride-hailing experience. That's why safety is our top priority, and rider verification is the newest feature we're testing dedicated to upgrading driver safety. It's part of our ongoing investment in new products, features, and our dedicated in-house specially trained safety team, to ensure that we can continue to improve the safety ecosystem of the Bolt app."