In the wake of recent sexual assault accusations against drivers in Paris and Philadelphia, Uber released a new code of conduct on Wednesday, and formed incident response teams that are "on call worldwide on a 24/7 basis." The code of conduct outlines a "zero-tolerance policy" against "aggressive behavior," which includes "asking overly personal questions and making unwanted physical contact." Phillip Cardenas, head of global safety at Uber, added:
We encourage you be mindful of other users’ privacy and personal space. Violence of any kind will not be tolerated.
The ride-hailing company also plans to form a safety advisory board, which will "review our safety practices and advise on our roadmap for adding safety features to the platform," Cardenas wrote. Uber also mentioned its SOS and Share My ETA features. They let riders contact authorities in case of emergency and let friends know when they are supposed to arrive, respectively. The features became available less than two months ago in India after a string of sexual assault incidents, but it's not clear when or if those features will become available in other parts of the world.
NBC News contacted Uber for comment but the company did not immediately respond. The company also touted its incident respond teams, which will "investigate and respond to serious safety concerns" around the world, and its ability to share GPS data with law enforcement during emergencies.
IN-DEPTH
- Road Rage: Uber and Lyft Scramble for Lead in Cutthroat Hired-Car Market
- Uber's Wild 2014: Can Lawsuits and Protests Bring It Down?
- Indian Authorities Issue Fresh Warnings to Uber, Ola (Wall Street Journal)
