Uber Tests In-App Video Recording in India to Shield Drivers

Uber started having a pilot in-app video recording mode in India in May. According to the news released by TechCrunch, it has now silently rolled it out to 10 major cities, such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Jaipur and Lucknow. The company confirmed the trial after drivers in the Delhi–NCR region shared experiences of passenger misconduct and false allegations that can lead to penalties or account suspensions.

What the pilot does and how it notifies riders

Drivers in participating cities can activate video recording during a trip. Riders receive an immediate in-app alert when recording starts. Uber says the footage is stored only on the driver’s device, is double-encrypted, and remains inaccessible to anyone, including Uber, unless the driver chooses to share it as part of a safety complaint. Unshared clips are deleted automatically after seven days. This mirrors Uber’s in-app audio recording feature that debuted in India last year.

Why Uber says this matters for drivers

For many drivers, the feature is a defensive tool against wrongful allegations that can cost them income or platform access. One Delhi driver, who requested anonymity to avoid risking his livelihood, told reporters, “Even female passengers travelling late at night insist that we follow the route they want instead of what’s shown on the map. If we refuse, they threaten to file false complaints.” Drivers say video evidence could reduce unjust penalties and speed dispute resolution.

While drivers welcomed the protection, some expressed caution. Concerns centre on how recordings will be handled after submission, whether evidence will be fairly adjudicated, and how riders will react to being recorded. Critics warn the feature could erode rider trust if it feels like constant surveillance — and dissatisfied passengers might simply migrate to rival platforms.

Privacy safeguards

The on-device encrypted storage and 7-day auto-delete policy of Uber will be an attempt to find a balance between security and privacy. Access controls and audit logs will be looked into by privacy advocates, and it is likely that they will enquire as to whether there is ever a time when any metadata or thumbnails are shared. Regulators can want to know about a consent mechanism, access across borders in the event of legal issues, and retention policies in the long term in case of court-related cases.

In 2022, Uber tested video recording in its in-app in the US and implemented it in other countries, including Canada and Brazil. The India pilot is an addition to these learnings but also has to fit into the local legal systems, local cultural backgrounds and increased sensitivity of the country to the issue of surveillance and individual privacy. The speed with which Uber will proceed from pilot to full rollout will be based on the measured results in the market environment of India.

Uber will monitor several indicators to judge success: adoption rate among drivers, number of disputes resolved using video evidence, changes in wrongful suspension rates, rider complaints about privacy, and any regulatory pushback. Demonstrable reductions in unjust penalties for drivers will be the strongest case for expansion.

India’s ride-hailing ecosystem often grapples with disputes that are costly for drivers and distracting for platforms. If handled transparently, in-app video could reduce litigation load, speed conflict resolution, and improve driver retention. But the feature risks backfiring if it undermines passenger trust or invites regulatory scrutiny — especially in a market where privacy debates are already active.