U.S.-based car-hailing services provider Uber Technologies Inc will upgrade its safety features for passengers with the help of State-owned insurance group China Taiping Insurance Group, according to an announcement Uber sent to the Global Times on Wednesday.
Uber will offer passengers accident insurance coverage of 1 million yuan ($157,170) at maximum, the announcement said.
"Safety is the top priority of our operation, and we expect more strategic cooperation with China Taiping," Liu Zhen, who is in charge of the company's China strategy, said in the announcement.
Uber will also refine its app to ensure riders' safety, such as by sharing real-time itineraries with their families and friends and sending feedback on Uber's drivers back to the customer center, according to the announcement.
The company said it is testing new functions, including one that will hide the contact numbers of drivers and riders without affecting communications between them, and another that will add an "SOS" function to the app in case of an emergency.
The company has been investing heavily in the Chinese market recently and has estimated that its total investment in China will reach 6.3 billion yuan.
