Uber to install safety screens in 20,000 sedans

Uber on Wednesday announced the installation of safety screens in 20,000 Premier sedans in an effort to make the ride safer for its customers and drivers in the ‘new normal’.

The aggregator had come up with safety cockpits earlier by installing them in UberMedic cars to transport frontline healthcare workers. The aggregator has already fitted them in 8,000 cars.

The cost of installation is borne by Uber, and it comes free of cost to drivers. Additionally, these safety cockpits are being scaled up across other product categories immediately, the company said in a release.

The safety cockpit is an innovative and protective ceiling-to-floor transparent plastic screen installed between the passenger and the driver.

Since the resumption of its services across 70 South Asian cities, Uber is sourcing and distributing cleaning supplies and protective equipment to all active drivers on its platform. Uber teams have also been doubling down to source, purchase, and distribute a significant supply of masks, hand sanitisers, and medical grade vehicle disinfectants to drivers across all product categories.

Uber has recently launched mandatory driver education around Covid-19 related safety protocols, and an updated cancellation policy, where both riders and driver can cancel trips if they do not feel safe.