Securide
Case study - Team work - 6 weeks - 2024
As part of a UX/UI project, a new feature was developed for the Uber app to address challenges related to drivers' personal safety.
The feature focused on providing drivers with a sense of security before accepting rides.
According to web research from the Israeli Taxi Drivers Association,
65% of taxi drivers often feel unsafe during rides due to increasing violence
on the roads, particularly towards taxi drivers.
The problem
Drivers Safety Perception Breakdown
How might we help taxi drivers feel safer before approving a ride ?
During the research phase, I focused on understanding the challenges taxi drivers face, particularly regarding their sense of security while working.
Depth interviews with drivers revealed they frequently feel uncertain about who will show up at the pickup point and join the ride, leading to heightened anxiety.
To complement these insights, we conducted secondary research by analyzing news articles about incidents of violence against taxi drivers in Israel.
This helped us identify common risks and stress factors drivers encounter, reinforcing the need for a feature that enhances transparency and empowers them to make safer ride decisions.
research & analysis
shimon gav
45, Taxi driver
Kobi CoheN
56, Taxi driver
insights
01
Uncertainty About Passengers
Taxi drivers often experience anxiety due to the lack of information about who will be entering their vehicle. This uncertainty creates a significant sense of insecurity, especially when drivers are not familiar with their passengers.
02
Inability to Share Information
Drivers have no way to share information about problematic passengers with other drivers
or the platform, leading to feelings
of isolation and helplessness when dealing with difficult situations.
03
Nighttime Work Avoidance
As a direct result of these safety concerns, many taxi drivers avoid working during the evening hours, when the risk of encountering difficult or unsafe passengers is perceived to be higher.
Understanding
the Gaps in Driver Information
As part of the research, we analyzed Uber’s driver app to understand the information available to drivers before accepting a ride.
We found that the app provides minimal details about the passenger—often limited to just a name and rating—leaving drivers with little context about who they are picking up. This lack of transparency contributes to feelings of uncertainty and, in some cases, safety concerns. These findings reinforced the need for a feature that offers drivers greater insight, helping them make more informed decisions while maintaining a seamless ride-hailing experience.
our solution
We created a passenger rating system based on data collected from their registration on the app and their usage, combined with driver ratings.
The system works by aggregating data over time. As drivers rate passengers, the system learns from these interactions, meaning that passengers who provide more detailed information and demonstrate positive behavior will receive higher ratings. This feedback loop continuously improves the system, helping to create a safer and more efficient experience for drivers.
The more data available, the higher the passenger's rating, ensuring that drivers can make informed decisions quickly.
From Idea to Sketches
When designing our feature, we focused on taxi drivers as our primary users. Through research, we discovered that most taxi drivers have been in the profession for many years, meaning that changing their existing app usage habits could be more of a burden than a benefit.
Our goal was to introduce the new feature seamlessly—enhancing their experience without disrupting their familiar workflows.
Designing for Quick Decision-Making
As we explored different design options for the driver’s ride request screen, we recognized a critical constraint: drivers have only 10 seconds to decide whether to accept or skip a ride.
Given that the screen is positioned at a distance from the driver and must be readable at a glance, we prioritized clarity and accessibility. Our design iterations focused on presenting
only the most relevant information in a structured, easy-to-scan format, ensuring that drivers can quickly assess key details without distraction or cognitive overload.
Bringing It All Together
In our design, we included several key elements to provide drivers with the most relevant information at a glance.
These include the profile picture of the passenger, the passenger rating highlighted with an additional verbal rating to give context, accept and decline ride buttons, the ride price, the number of past rides with the driver, a timer to help manage decision-making time, and a badge and verification
to indicate trusted passengers.
Testing, Tweaking, Perfecting
We ran several rounds of quick usability tests with taxi drivers
to fine-tune the feature. With each iteration, we applied their feedback to make the experience clearer, more efficient, and easy to use without disrupting their workflow.
Our final design was shaped by studying Uber’s design system
and how drivers interact with it, ensuring a seamless and familiar experience.
