As South Africa grapples with ongoing anti-illegal-immigration protests, e-hailer inDrive has launched an in-app audio recording feature to improve safety and encourage respectful interaction between drivers and passengers during trips.
The feature, available in the inDrive Safety Centre, allows either a driver or a passenger to activate audio recording manually during a ride.
The e-hailer explained that once the function is activated, it captures in-trip audio that can be used as supporting evidence in the event of a complaint or dispute.
Country Representative for inDrive in South Africa, Ashif Black, declared that the rollout reflects the platform’s ongoing focus on building practical, user-led safety tools.
“This audio recording tool gives both drivers and passengers an additional layer of clarity in situations where misunderstandings might arise,” he said.
“It is designed to support fairness, not surveillance, and it sits alongside our existing safety features, including in-trip monitoring, ride sharing and 24/7 in-app support.”
He noted that the feature also reflects the e-hailer’s mission to challenge injustice through the creation of fairer and more transparent experiences for inDrive users, whether they be riders or drivers.
By providing additional context during disputes, these audio recordings help support more balanced and informed resolutions, with the feature intended as a preventative and de-escalation tool.
Black explained that most ride-related issues are not serious incidents but everyday misunderstandings, from pickup confusion to disagreements over wait times or routes.
Through its additional interaction records, the e-hailing platform aims to reduce the uncertainty in situations and encourage more mindful engagement among users.
“Even before it is used in a complaint, the presence of a recording option can shift behaviour in a positive way,” added Black.
“It reinforces mutual respect and helps both parties feel more secure throughout the journey.”
Protecting user data
Because inDrive has placed privacy at the centre of the feature’s design, audio recordings are end-to-end encrypted and cannot be accessed, downloaded or shared with third parties.
The e-hailer confirmed that encryption keys for recordings are held exclusively by its security team and can only be used in the event of official complaints requiring investigation.
Users must then give explicit consent for recordings to be shared with the inDrive Support team in the event of a dispute resolution process arising.
Black emphasised that the feature cannot be activated covertly, with manual activation by either the driver or passenger required, and it cannot run in the background without user action.
He added that the company’s support teams also do not rely on a single data point, noting that audio is one element in a broader review process.
“This helps ensure that any attempt to manipulate a situation by any party involved is identified through context and pattern analysis,” said Black.
The e-hailer confirmed that these features form part of its wider commitment to making ride-hailing in South Africa more transparent and community-driven.
This is particularly true in markets where safety expectations and regulatory frameworks continue to evolve.
“The initiative also supports the company’s ambition to positively impact one billion people by 2030 by using technology to create safer and more accessible mobility experiences,” it said.
inDrive confirmed that the audio feature is already live for users across South Africa via the latest version of its ride-hailing app.
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