Bolt will invest €100 million over the next three years to increase safety in its ride-hailing services in Africa.
In certain regions of the continent, trust in taxis is quite low, making safety a top priority for both companies and customers. With this investment, Bolt aims to build trust and establish itself as a global brand.
The company will implement several measures, including four-digit pickup codes to verify driver-passenger matches, an alert system for route changes, mandatory passenger identity verification, notifications to trusted contacts if the ride goes off track, and the option to submit audio recordings for legal support.
Lebogang Maile, the MEC for Finance and Economic Development in Gauteng, one of the provinces with high crime rates in South Africa, expressed his strong approval of Bolt’s initiative. He stated that this effort would be a significant step in combating violence against women.
These new safety features are expected to roll out in the coming months.
To ensure their success, Bolt will continue to work with safety experts to promote in-app Emergency Assist and other security features, particularly in key markets like South Africa.
