Female Uber Driver Calls Out Non-Operational Panic Button After Robbery Attempt In Delhi

In a horrifying incident, a female Uber driver was allegedly attacked by unidentified robbers in Delhi’s Kashmere Gate area on January 9. It has now also emerged that the victim’s multiple distress calls to Uber at the time of incident went unheeded.

The victim, Priyanka Devi, told Quint that despite pressing the panic button installed in the car during the robbery attempt, no help was provided to her. 

“I pressed the panic button installed in the car and even called Uber but none of it was helpful,” alleged the 30-year-old Devi.

The Uber driver was allegedly attacked while she was on her way to pick up a passenger. During the incident, she alleged that two people threw a brick at her car and tried to take her car keys, phone and money. One of the assailants allegedly also attacked Devi with a beer bottle and she claims to have received 10 stitches. 

In a statement sent to Inc42, an Uber spokesperson said, “What this driver went through is horrifying. We are in touch with the driver and wish her a speedy and full recovery. Her injury-related medical expenses will be covered under Uber’s on-trip insurance provided through a third-party insurance partner. We stand ready to support law enforcement authorities in their investigation.”

Meanwhile, Indian Express reported, citing senior officials, that the victim refused to file a complaint in the matter. However the Delhi Police has taken suo-motu cognisance of the matter and a case has been registered under relevant sections of the law. 

“The Uber app has an in-app emergency button through which the driver can directly connect with the local police,” added an Uber spokesperson.

Panic Button: Only For Show?

This is not the first time that the ride-hailing platform has been flagged for non-operational ‘Panic Buttons’. An investigation by Indian Express last year revealed that a majority (96%) of the cabs it studied in the national capital did not have a functioning panic button.

Media reports have also flagged that the system continues to be marred by software glitches that prevent the transport department from passing the alerts immediately to the Delhi Police.

The report also found that multiple Uber cab drivers had managed to get fitness certificates for their vehicles without operational panic buttons.

In simple terms, panic buttons are designed to help passengers in trouble by sending an alert every five seconds to servers monitored by the transport department which are then sent across to Delhi Police’s Emergency Response Support System.

Amidst ‘integration’ issues, there is no clarity on the efficacy of the panic button mechanism. 

This is not Uber’s first brush with the law. On previous occasions as well, Uber drivers in the country have been arrested for raping female passengers, including the infamous 2014 Delhi rape case during which the ride hailing company reportedly blamed Indian authorities for the incident. 

In 2021 as well, an Uber driver in Bengaluru was arrested for allegedly raping a woman passenger. This is besides a slew of other regulatory issues that the company faces in the country.