Uber Introduces Auto-accept and Voice Commands Features for Drivers in Australia

A rideshare and delivery driver interacts with a mobile phone more often while driving and delivering compared to other road users. They have to keep using their mobile phone while driving to do things like accept or cancel a trip request, receive or make telephone calls to passengers.

Once an UberX or Uber Eats request pops up on the phone screen, drivers only have a few seconds to accept or refuse it. If they bypass the request, it will be given to another driver. Skipping too many rides or delivery requests can affect the driver’s acceptance rate and overall performance.

Currently, there are regulations in Australia that limit the use of mobile phones or other devices such as smartwatch while driving due to safety concerns. Although in some state this regulation does not affect ridesharing and delivery driver as long as the phone is secured in a fixed mounting to the vehicle and does not obscure the driver’s view of the road, but when there is another safer solution, it will certainly much better.

For that reason, Uber has released two new features on the driver-partners app in Australia that allows partners to accept or deny a trip request without coming in contact with the phone. The two new features are the auto-accept request and the voice-activated command. Both of these features are expected to make less distracted driving.

Screenshot of The New Features

Uber Auto Accept Ride and Delivery Request

Although not directly related to driver safety, the auto-accept feature is very useful for drivers who do not want to be distracted when driving, especially when they are on road conditions that require high driving focus.

Generally, when a request pops up, the driver will be able to see the location and pick-up distance, riders rating and sometimes the rider destination. With this feature, you will automatically receive every ride request you receive and can immediately go to the location of the rider. However, you still have the option to cancel a trip that you have already received, but that will affect your cancellation rate on the platform.

Uber Voice Command to Accept a Request

Another new feature launched for Uber partners in Australia is a capability to use your voice to respond to trip requests on the Uber app. A new hands-free safety feature that allows you to accept each trip with your voice.

When this feature is activated, you no longer need to touch your phone to interact with the Uber app. You don’t need to worry if one day the feature doesn’t respond to your voice correctly, considering that Uber still provides buttons that you can touch to receive a ride request.