Uber Uses Selfies for Enhancing Security

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Uber ride-share services has been rolling out a new security measure tested in Atlanta and a few other cities in the US — using selfies.

Uber’s latest security feature is Real-Time ID Check, which uses Microsoft Cognitive Services to protect both riders and drivers.

Real-Time ID Check prompts drivers to share a selfie before going online to help ensure the driver using the app matches the account Uber has on file. This prevents fraud and protects drivers’ accounts from being compromised. It also protects riders by building another layer of accountability into the app to ensure the right person is behind the wheel.

How does it work? Drivers are asked periodically to take a selfie in the Uber app before they accept rides. Uber then uses Microsoft’s Cognitive Services to instantly compare this photo to the one corresponding with the account on file. If the two photos don’t match, the account is temporarily blocked while Uber looks into the situation.

According to Uber’s website, during the pilot of Real-Time ID Check over the past few months, the majority of mismatches were due to unclear profile photos. And more than 99% of drivers were ultimately verified. Verification takes only a few seconds to complete, so it proactively and efficiently builds more security into the app, Uber promises.

The system has been tested in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and Miami, and Uber is now expanding the measure to its drivers throughout the US, as a layer of security and a fraud prevention.

Uber has also been using GPS and smartphone technology to detect and prevent dangerous driving behavior such as fast acceleration and hard braking. Efforts to enhance driving safety include daily reports to drivers about how their driving patterns compare to other drivers in their city and Speed display in the app that alerts drivers to the speed of their vehicle.

Also, riders receive their driver’s name, photo and vehicle information to ensure they get into the right car with the right driver.