Uber adds a button to its app that calls 911

Uber has been working to add more safety features to its app.

Uber Canada has confirmed that the 911 Assistance feature will start rolling out to all Android and iOS users in Canada today. The new feature will take the form of a ‘Safety Toolkit’ button.

The button will be on the screen whenever users are riding in an Uber vehicle. The button opens a menu that will let users call the police, share their trip details or learn more about Uber’s safety policies.

The ‘call 911’ button opens up a small panel that shows users which addresses they’re close to and what type of car they’re riding in. Along with these features is a button that will call the police. While there is no way to automatically share location information with the police, it is still useful to see. Uber’s website says this feature will start rolling out to drivers soon.

The ‘share my location’ option will let users share their location with a third party, such as a friend or a parent, so they can track the rides progress as well.

“Helping keep people safe is a huge responsibility, and one we do not take lightly. That’s why we are committed to putting safety at the core of everything we do. Our latest features double down on safety in our app and we will continue to work to strengthen our safety practices,” said an Uber spokesperson in an email to MobileSyrup. 

Source: Uber