TORONTO — Uber Technologies Inc. has launched its Real-time ID Check feature in Canada on Thursday, which it says will force drivers to occasionally confirm their identity and bring an extra layer of safety for passengers.

Real-time ID Check will periodically force drivers to take a “security selfie” before accepting rides for the day, Uber said in a release. Once a selfie is submitted, the Uber app will match the photo to the driver’s profile and confirm the match through biometrics. If the match fails, then the account will be temporarily blocked until someone at Uber confirms the identity. Uber’s app uses Microsoft’s Cognitive Services to use facial recognition to compare the photos.

“One of the comments Uber often gets from riders, particularly from women, is that they feel safer in an Uber because they always know who their driver is and that the app connects the rider and a driver in a way that promotes mutual accountability,” an Uber spokesperson said in a statement. “Real-time ID check is another way to strengthen that accountability.”

Real-Time ID Check has previously been available in other countries such as the U.S. and India. 

Financial Post

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