(Bloomberg) -- Uber Technologies Inc. will begin checking passengers’ account information against third-party identity verification databases in an effort to make drivers feel safer.
Starting Wednesday, US riders whose identities are verified — either automatically using partners like Prove or by manually uploading documents — will receive a blue badge that’s visible to drivers when deciding whether to accept a ride request, Uber said in an announcement. Unverified passengers can still request trips, and passengers’ last names will continue to be hidden from drivers.
For years, drivers have lobbied rideshare companies to add safety features that would protect them against carjackings and malicious reports, all of which can further destabilize what is already an unpredictable income stream for many of the independent contractors.
Uber anticipates that the majority of passengers will be verified automatically. Riders cannot opt out of automatic verification.
The company believes the new measures can deter bad behavior from riders, Alix Anfang, an Uber spokesperson, said in an email. In a pilot of the identity verification program, Uber said rides involving verified passengers saw more frequent tips, higher ratings and fewer “serious complaints” from drivers.
The rideshare giant already requires users who sign up with anonymous payment methods, such as gift cards, to verify their identities. To date, the company says it has banned 15,000 rider accounts bearing fake or inappropriate names.
As part of the same announcement, Uber said it’s planning a US-wide rollout of an in-app dashcam feature. It will also experiment, through a trial program, with allowing some drivers to block future trip requests from riders whom they rate two or three stars. Uber already automatically prevents drivers from re-matching with riders they’ve rated one out of five.
--With assistance from Natalie Lung.
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