Chinese ride hailing app Didi Kuaidi has announced the addition of an emergency button to its app to increase the safety feature of its service. The company is also planning to add a face-recognition system to ensure that a driver is the same person registered on its platform.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Didi is planning to unveil a host of features by the end of this month. The most prominent feature is the addition of panic button. The button will let the passengers call for help in case of emergencies. Another feature will allow the passengers to share their approximate time of arrival with family and friends. Apart from this, if a driver is deviating from a route, Didi and the passenger would be alerted.

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Didi Kuaidi was thrown into the limelight following a robbery and murder by one of its drivers in Shenzhen. The accident took place on May 1, 2016. The company confirmed that the driver had registered with a real ID and other formalities. He also passed a criminal background check.

Chinese state media said that the driver was using a different license plate at the time of committing the crime. Stephen Zhu, vice president of Didi Kuaidi, said "This has done huge damage to our community and the platform."

In order to boost its security, the company has also suspended about 8,000 of its registered drivers in Shenzhen. The company said that it carries out monthly review of its drivers. "This next level is about stopping the crime from happening," a statement from the company said.

China is looking to increase supervision of ride hailing services. The Ministry of Transportation plans to issue new rules and regulations later this month.

TagsDidi Kuaidi