Uber drivers in the US will now take selfies for added security

Ride-hailing app Uber has now introduced a new security feature called Real-Time ID Check, which uses Microsoft Cognitive Services to “protect both riders and drivers.”

The company explained in a blogpost that Real-Time ID Check prompts drivers to share a selfie before going online. This move will help ensure that the driver using the app matches the account on file. This will aim to prevent fraud and protects drivers’ accounts from being compromised. More so, this will protect riders by building another layer of accountability into the app to ensure the right person is behind the wheel.

Drivers are asked periodically to take a selfie in the Uber app before they accept rides. The company’s system uses Microsoft’s Cognitive Services to compare this photo to the one corresponding with the account on file. If the two photos don’t match, the account is temporarily blocked, explains Uber.

Apparently, during our pilot of Real-Time ID Check over the past few months, the majority of mismatches were due to unclear profile photos. Uber stated,” Given that verification takes only a few seconds to complete, this feature proactively and efficiently builds more security into the app.”