Uber has been in the news a lot over the last couple of weeks.

From new Californian legislation that could make it difficult for the company to continue mistreating their drivers, to its billions in losses, the company could use some good press.

The tell-all book detailing how they screwed their customers didn’t help, either.

In response to all of this, they’ve decided to try to inject some positivity back into the narrative with some upgrades to the Uber app.

It’s not yet known when the update will be available in South Africa, but we’re inclined to think it’s some point in the very near future.

Before we break down the finer details of the upgrades, here’s The Verge in conversation with Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi:

MyBroadband has the lowdown on the new upgrades:

Uber and Uber Eats have been combined into a single app, and a variety of new features have been added.

The ride-hailing company launched its new, overhauled app at an event in San Francisco on 26 September.

The new app offers a variety of new and improved functionalities, as well as enhanced security features.

The app is updating its home screen that will ask you whether you want to take a ride or order food.

Users will also be able to use allergy-friendly filters for their Uber Eats orders, ensuring that people with specific dietary restrictions can order their food without fear of eating something that they are allergic to.

This will allow restaurants to customise the order to remove foods that the customer is allergic to or let them offer alternatives to the customer.

As for its drivers, Uber is including some upgrades for them as well.

Uber also plans to launch an earnings estimator to give drivers a better idea of how much they could earn.

Drivers will receive a Demand Heatmap which highlights areas where riders are requesting more trips.

Uber is also integrating certain transit systems onto its platform, allowing users to see if there are buses or subways in their vicinity that will serve as better alternatives to an Uber ride.

Amidst growing safety concerns and reports from former employees that Uber isn’t overly concerned about passenger safety, the company is also including these new safety features:

Uber is also adding several new security features, including one where users will be provided with a four-digit PIN to ensure that they enter the correct vehicle.

In a few months time, Uber will also launch a technology that uses ultrasound waves to verify that the user is in the right car – negating the need for a PIN.

Uber will also provide riders with on-trip reporting, which means that riders will be able to report incidents during the trip, rather than after the ride is finished.

Real-Time ID Check has been improved. The system initially started with basic selfies, but now drivers can perform movements such as blink, smile, and turn their head.

The upgrades are available to US users, and it shouldn’t be long until South Africa gets the option, too.

Will it quell the rise of bad PR and sentiment against the company? Only time will tell.

[source:verge&mybroadband]