Uber Launches Text To 9-1-1 Feature In Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA — Uber passengers who find themselves stuck in a dangerous situation can now text to 9-1-1 thanks to a new feature on Uber's app. The ride-hailing service debuted the feature Thursday in Los Angeles County, Minnesota and Indiana.

The company has been under pressure to improve safety measures after a series high-profile attacks. Uber added an emergency 911 call button in the app last year. The update will expand the feature to include texting for help. Now, with the press of a button, an auto text message will be generated that lets authorities know the caller is in a moving Uber car while allowing dispatchers to track the vehicle. It can even be used to help passengers who accidentally got into a vehicle driven by an imposter driver.

"In an emergency, every second counts," Sachin Kansal, Uber's head of safety products, said in a statement. "This new addition to the app will allow Uber users to reach out to 911 in situations where they may not be able to make a phone call."

According to Uber, when a user pushes the text-to-911 button, the app will automatically formulate the start of the text message, stating that the user is in an Uber vehicle and providing a current location, destination and description of the vehicle. The user can then add a description of the emergency.

It's a feature that could help both drivers and passengers. On Monday, an Uber driver was forced to pull over on the 101 Freeway to call 9-1-1 when two passengers began throwing punches at one another. One passenger jumped out of the car into oncoming traffic.

Additionally, three Los Angeles women are currently suing Uber, alleging they were sexually assaulted by their drivers, including one who pleaded guilty, another facing rape charges and a third suspect who fled the country. Los Angeles prosecutors have handled several cases in which inebriated women were attacked by men posing as their uber drivers, and this year, a college student on the East Coast was killed when she got into the wrong car.

The text-to-9-1-1 feature will help passengers who feel threatened by their driver, and it can even help people who got into the wrong car. The feature wouldn't give accurate information about the make and model of the car to authorities, but it could still alert them to the emergency and convey location.

Uber officials said they plan to expand the 9-1-1 text feature to other jurisdictions that support text-to-9-1-1 technology. According to Uber, text-to-9-1-1 is supported in jurisdictions across Los Angeles County, with the exception of Bell and Bell Gardens.

City News Service contributed to this report.