UK: Uber Will Use Face Detection Technology To Ensure All Drivers And Riders Wear Masks

Uber has said it will use 'face detection technology' to ensure all drivers and riders wear face masks from Monday, as it seeks to claw back customers amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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The ride hailing app announced Wednesday it is making face masks mandatory for all drivers and passengers, as part of new health and safety measures to protect both parties from the contagious virus and help passengers regain confidence in the service.

The new policy will require drivers to take selfies of themselves to show they are wearing a mask before going online, and any driver not wearing a mask will not be able to pick up passengers.

Both riders and drivers will also be able cancel a booking without charge if the other party is not following the rules.

This comes as stay-at-home orders coupled with nervous travelers have hammered the business and seen ridership levels plummet during the outbreak.

Chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said the move is about 'accountability' for both parties as lockdown rules begin to ease and people take up traveling once more.

'Accountability is key - and it goes both ways,' Khosrowshahi said.

'That's why we are encouraging drivers to cancel trips without penalty if they don't feel safe, including if the rider isn't wearing a face cover.'

A rider may also cancel a trip without penalty if the driver is not wearing a mask and drivers and riders who 'repeatedly violate mask policies risk losing access to Uber,' he added.

The app will be updated to allow for ratings for both drivers and passengers if they are not wearing face masks.

The new rule, coming into effect Monday, applies to Uber drivers in the US, Canada, India and most of Europe and Latin America.

It will be in place through the end of June when it will reviewed based on the extent of the outbreak in the local areas.

Khosrowshahi also announced a number of other steps the company is taking as businesses start reopening and people look to return to some sort of normal life.

'As cities begin to reopen and people start moving again, Uber is proceeding with caution and safety top of mind,' Khosrowshahi said.

'We will all have a role to play to help each other stay healthy when traveling.'

Other measures include the company committing an additional $50 million to buy masks and to sanitizing supplies, as well as updating its app with a safety checklist and tools for both riders and drivers.

Passengers will also be banned from riding in front seats and a maximum of three riders will be able to travel per car. Uber had previously suspended its pooled rides service.

'Every step of the way safety is an important part of the journey,' Uber product manager Sachin Kansal told an online news conference.

Kansal said similar safety measures are also being introduced for Uber Eats including efforts to ensure safety measures by Uber's restaurant partners.

Uber has been hard-hit by the pandemic as COVID-19 lockdowns have driven far fewer people to book rides, sparking mass layoffs at the firm.

DailyMail.com revealed last week that 3,500 Uber employees who worked in customer service and recruitment around the US learned it would be their last day working for the firm on a live call.

This came after 80 staff lost their jobs in February when Uber shut down its Los Angeles customer support office.

A company filing last Wednesday revealed around 3,700 roles will be cut from its global workforce - roughly 14 percent of its 26,900 employees.

The cuts will be made among customer support and recruiting teams, meaning driver numbers will be largely unaffected.

The company expects to incur about $20 million in costs for severance and related charges, the filing revealed.

Khosrowshahi has also said he will not be paid for the rest of the year.

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