Lyft Partners With ADT to Add Additional Safety Features in App

Following complaints from passengers using Lyft, a taxi service, regarding safety issues and sexual harassment from drivers, Lyft has partnered with ATA, a security and automation provider in North America, in order to reduce safety concerns in their rides. ^[1]

Safety Issues

Lately, security concerns regarding the drivers in taxi services Lyft and Uber have been prevalent. After Lyft poorly handled multiple cases of sexual harassment as well as sexual assault concerning the drivers of their vehicles, Lyft has begun working towards making their rides a safer experience. Lyft has been a little late when it comes to safety features- it was a little late when it came to adding an in-app 911 dialing system to its app- Uber had already offered a 911 option a year earlier. But this ADT alliance is a subtle acknowledgment that Lyft is moving towards protecting its passengers.

Safety Options

A partnership with ADT could give passengers the ability to call for help without attracting the attention of the driver. “In an emergency, pilot users will be able to signal to ADT that they are in need of assistance, via an ADT-powered feature in the Lyft app.” Says the Lyft blog. “A user will then be connected to one of ADT’s owned and operated monitoring centers, where an ADT security professional will alert authorities as needed so they can arrive at the user’s location, equipped with detailed incident information.” ^[2]

When it comes to safety, there is no better partner for Lyft than ADT,” said Ran Makavy, EVP and Chief Product Officer. “We are extremely excited to enter into this partnership, and look forward to a meaningful, industry-leading collaboration.”