Didi testing recording feature during trips on express service

Didi Chuxing, the biggest ride-sharing company in China, has begun trialling a recording function during trips in several cities, including Shanghai, on the condition that both the driver and passengers are aware they are being recorded.

A staff member from the company said the recording feature is only being tested on the Didi Express service. 

“There will be a notification on the passenger’s app asking permission to record,” the staff member said. “It will only start recording once the passenger agrees.”

Meanwhile, Didi said they will soon restore the comment feature on Didi Hitch, the car pooling service that allows registered drivers to pick up passengers on the street going in their direction.

But instead of allowing users to write reviews freely, the new comment feature only offers limited tags such as “polite” and “drove safely” for users to choose from.

The company said they are also working on improving the accuracy and efficiency of the facial recognition system. All drivers who fail to match the system will be unable to use the service.