Introducing Audio Protect: An extra layer of safety to every DriveU trip

DriveU's latest safety feature, Audio Protect, is now available to iOS users across India. The rollout is one of several significant safety innovations launched by DriveU's safety team over the past year, each one reflecting the company's ongoing commitment to making every DriveU trip safer for both users and driver-partners.  

Audio Protect records audio of a trip on the user’s and driver’s phones. This adds an extra layer of safety to each DriveU trip as it encourages mindful interaction between DriveU Chauffeurs and DriveU users. 

What Is Audio Protect?

Audio Protect records audio of a trip on both the customer's and the driver's phones simultaneously. By creating an unbiased, on-device record of every journey, it adds a meaningful layer of protection to each DriveU trip. It also encourages mindful, respectful interaction between DriveU Chauffeurs and the users they serve.

Also Read: DriveU Pricing & Charges: A Complete Guide to What You Pay

While 99% of DriveU trips are completely incident-free, we recognise the importance of addressing the rare cases where disputes do arise. In those moments, the accounts given by driver-partners and customers can sometimes differ, making it genuinely difficult to determine what actually happened.

Navigating these situations requires a thoughtful, fair approach, one that takes safety seriously without dismissing either party's perspective. We needed a tool that could act as a neutral, reliable witness. Not a surveillance system, but a safeguard.

How It Works 

Audio Protect puts users firmly in control. Recording only begins when the user actively chooses to start it, and only after granting audio permission. From that point, the app records continuously until the trip ends (whether completed or cancelled), or until the user manually stops the recording. Nothing is captured without deliberate action from the user.

When a recording is active, the app makes it clearly visible: a yellow indicator appears beneath the Safety section of the app, always in view while recording is on. There's no ambiguity about when Audio Protect is running.

All recordings are stored locally on the user's device in encrypted format — and crucially, even the user cannot listen back to them. This isn't a tool for eavesdropping. It's a sealed record, held securely until it's needed.

If no incident is reported, the audio file automatically deletes itself within seven days of the trip ending. If a user does choose to file a report, the recording is transmitted securely and made accessible exclusively to DriveU's safety team for the purposes of investigation. 

Also Read: DriveU's SOS Button: Your Quick Help in Case of an Emergency During Your Ride

A Peace of Mind

When incidents do arise, Audio Protect will allow DriveU's safety team to investigate faster and with greater confidence, replacing he-said-she-said uncertainty with a clear, unbiased account of events. For our customers, it's peace of mind. For driver-partners, it's protection against unfair claims. For everyone, it means a more accountable, more trustworthy trip experience.

This is just one step in DriveU's continued investment in safety. There's more to come.

AudioProtect is currently available for iOS users in India. Android availability coming soon.