From now on, Uber drivers will start their shifts with selfies.
The ride-hailing company is expanding its Real-Time ID Check feature across the US, it announced in a blog post Friday. Drivers submit a selfie through the app to ensure the person driving the car matches Uber's account on file.
The feature doesn't connect to a background check or do anything else to ensure the underlying safety of Uber drivers. Instead, it just checks that the person in the car is the same one Uber has on file.
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Drivers will be asked periodically to submit selfies before accepting rides, Uber said. The company uses Microsoft's Cognitive Services API to compare the photo to one it has. If the photos don't match, a driver's account will be temporarily blocked.
Similar facial recognition technology is used by other companies, often in place of a password to identify consumers.
Uber has used the technology through a pilot program for the past few months, the company said. The main problem throughout that pilot was unclear photos or bad lighting.
Uber says it is also using GPS technology to detect dangerous driving, among other safety and security initiatives.
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