Uber has updated its partner app to aid hard-of-hearing and deaf drivers.
On Thursday, May 28, Uber released the app update after incorporating some feedback and suggestions that were given by partners and also the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), a leading non-profit organization advocating economic empowerment for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. The changes are simple tweaks, but the company is confident it will positively impact hard-of-hearing and deaf drivers.
A user will have to enable the new features once the app has been updated. A driver would previously get an audio notification for a trip. Now, the update will also include a flashing light in case of a trip request.
Passengers will not get the option to call a driver when the new features are enabled. However, the passenger can communicate special instructions to the driver by sending text messages.
The app will also add an additional prompt for passengers to enter the destination. Just so that a passenger is aware of the hearing incapability of the driver, the prompt will also inform the passenger that the driver is hard-of-hearing and deaf.
Ben Metcalfe, head of product innovation at Uber, wrote in a blog post that the update will present an earning opportunity for people with hearing problems. This latest app update has also been applauded by NAD as it promotes work prospects for deaf people.
"We commend Uber for enhancing their mobile app to improve communications between drivers and passengers ... whether they are hearing or deaf," said Howard Rosenblum, CEO of NAD.
Uber announced that the new features are being tested in select cities, which include Washington D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago. However, the company is hoping to roll out the latest features to other locations in the near term.
Metcalfe also talked about Larry, a deaf partner driver, who used to send text messages to his passengers to let them know he was deaf, which sometimes caused delays in picking up a passenger. However, the new app update eases Larry's work as the app itself lets a passenger know that Larry is deaf.
Check out a short video of Larry sharing his experience on the updated Uber app.
