Uber testing new in-app feature to reduce disputes among drivers and passengers in India

Uber is testing an in-app video recording feature for drivers in India. The company has reportedly confirmed the tool's deployment, stating it is intended to help deter misconduct and provide drivers with necessary evidence to resolve disputes in a market where few use dashcams. The pilot program began rolling out in phases in May and is now live across 10 major Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Jaipur and Lucknow. While many drivers welcome the potential for evidence-based dispute resolution, some expressed reservations about whether Uber would consistently support them over paying passengers in contentious situations. The feature addresses a concern frequently raised by drivers in the region: misconduct by riders and in some cases, threats of false complaints that could lead to penalties or account suspensions. However, drivers believe the video recording will protect them by offering evidence in disputes, a report claims.In a statement to TechCrunch, one driver who requested anonymity out of fear of losing his account, said: “Even female passengers travelling late at night insist that we follow the route they want instead of what’s shown on the map. If we refuse, they threaten to file false complaints.”Meanwhile, an Uber spokesperson said that “all recordings are double-encrypted, stored on the device, and cannot be accessed by anyone, including Uber, unless a user chooses to share them as part of a safety report,” noting that the recordings are automatically deleted after a week if they are not shared.Riders will receive an in-trip notification when video recording is enabled. The video feature builds on Uber’s in-app audio recording option, introduced in India in 2023. Video recording was first tested in the US in 2022 and is currently available in Canada and Brazil.As the pilot grows, Uber will need to balance the tool’s ability to help resolve disputes with broader concerns about privacy and monitoring in an important market. It is not yet clear when the video recording option will expand further. However, its performance in the coming months will likely influence whether Uber adopts it more widely in India or other regions.