Uber seems to get in trouble no matter where it goes but in India the company has come under fire for more than just regulatory violations and whatnot. Authorities in the country have questioned Uber’s respect for passenger safety after a woman was raped by an Uber driver while getting a ride. In response to this, Uber has equipped the Indian version of its app with a panic button.
Late last year, Uber announced plans for tighter safety measures in India following the rape of a passenger using its service in December. Now it has confirmed that two major features — an in-app panic button and journey/location sharing — will roll out to users in India on February 11. The company went public with the launch date after Times Of India reported that the Mumbai transportation department was considering a ban on its service over its apparent approach to safety. Authorities are reportedly “not happy with Uber representatives’ responses during various meetings held to consider measures for passengers’ safety.”