After introducing the Quiet Ride feature last month, Grab has introduced a new GrabCar feature called AudioProtect which aims at making rides safer and reducing disputes between driver and rider. The feature was initially introduced as a pilot programme last year and it is now rolling out to the masses in Malaysia.
Essentially, this is an audio recorder feature which can be enabled for both the driver and the passenger. According to Grab, the feature will record audio throughout the duration of the trip and it will be encrypted and stored on your device. The encrypted audio recording will only be kept on the device for up to 5 days and it will only be sent to Grab if a safety-related incident is reported. This is an opt-in feature if you agree to Grab’s privacy notice and you can enable AudioProtect by going to Account > Safety Settings > Enable AudioProtect.
According to the AudioProtect FAQ, the feature is only enabled if both you and your driver have given consent and the audio will be recorded on both your and your driver’s device at the same time. The recorded audio files are encrypted and are inaccessible to both parties. It is stated that the audio clip won’t be uploaded or accessed by Grab under any circumstances unless there’s a safety-related incident occurs.
When a safety-related incident is reported, only then the audio file will be uploaded to their system and reviewed by an approved and trained member of Grab’s safety team. The uploaded clip will be kept securely by Grab for 6 months and it may be extended on a case-by-case basis if the investigation is prolonged beyond the specified time frame.
Users will know that the trip is being recorded when a “Recording: On” pop-up appears in the app during the ride. Users must also allow microphone permission and have sufficient internal storage for the feature to work. If you or the driver has an incoming phone call, the recording will be paused temporarily and will only resume once the call has ended.
At the time of writing, we can’t seem to find the “Safety Settings” feature despite receiving the announcement in our Grab app’s inbox. Perhaps, it is being rolled out in stages.
What do you think of the AudioProtect feature? Let us know in the comments below.
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