• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechUber Technologies

Uber Has Launched a High-Powered Emergency Button

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 29, 2018, 1:14 PM ET

Uber has unveiled a new safety feature that could improve your chances of getting help when you need it.

When you boot up the app on Tuesday, you’ll find a new option to call for emergency services. If you were to tap it, the feature would immediately provide you with your location, the make and model of the vehicle you’re in, and the license plate number. As you call 911 emergency services, you can then tell the dispatcher all of that information to help police find you more quickly, according to Today national investigative correspondent Jeff Rossen, who tried out the app.

Uber also said that it’s piloting a feature that would automatically send all of that information, including the color of the Uber vehicle, directly to 911 responders. The feature is being tested in six cities, including Denver and Charleston, and will be rolled out elsewhere in the coming weeks.

The feature is one that reflects a broader effort by Uber to improve rider and driver safety on the roads. The company has been criticized for its handling of sexual assaults and harassment by some of its drivers and has said publicly that it will institute programs that enhance rider safety.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

The advanced emergency button Uber is testing in those select markets could prove extremely important. Instead of the standard feature, which requires riders to actually say the information the Uber app has collected, the more sophisticated button will send information without them ever speaking. It could prove important in moments when riders cannot speak.

According to Rossen, who tested the feature, it only took five minutes for police to find the vehicle after the emergency request was sent.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

NewslettersCIO Intelligence
Inside tractor maker CNH’s push to bring more artificial intelligence to the farm
By John KellDecember 10, 2025
3 hours ago
NewslettersTerm Sheet
5 VCs sounds off on the AI question du jour
By Amanda GerutDecember 10, 2025
4 hours ago
Databricks co-founder and CEO Ali Ghodsi (right) with Fortune editorial director Andrew Nusca at Fortune Brainstorm AI 2025 in San Francisco. (Photo: Stuart Isett/Fortune)
NewslettersFortune Tech
How Databricks could achieve a trillion-dollar valuation
By Andrew NuscaDecember 10, 2025
5 hours ago
Zhenghua Yang
SuccessSmall Business
At 18, doctors gave him three hours to live. He played video games from his hospital bed—and now, he’s built a $10 million-a-year video game studio
By Preston ForeDecember 10, 2025
5 hours ago
AsiaCoupang
Coupang CEO resigns over historic South Korean data breach
By Yoolim Lee and BloombergDecember 10, 2025
7 hours ago
AIpalantir
New contract shows Palantir is working on a tech platform for another federal agency that works with ICE
By Jessica MathewsDecember 9, 2025
15 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
‘Fodder for a recession’: Top economist Mark Zandi warns about so many Americans ‘already living on the financial edge’ in a K-shaped economy 
By Eva RoytburgDecember 9, 2025
18 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Success
When David Ellison was 13, his billionaire father Larry bought him a plane. He competed in air shows before leaving it to become a Hollywood executive
By Dave SmithDecember 9, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Banking
Jamie Dimon taps Jeff Bezos, Michael Dell, and Ford CEO Jim Farley to advise JPMorgan's $1.5 trillion national security initiative
By Nino PaoliDecember 9, 2025
20 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Uncategorized
Transforming customer support through intelligent AI operations
By Lauren ChomiukNovember 26, 2025
14 days ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
Exclusive: U.S. businesses are getting throttled by the drop in tourism from Canada: 'I can count the number of Canadian visitors on one hand'
By Dave SmithDecember 10, 2025
3 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
The 'forever layoffs' era hits a recession trigger as corporates sack 1.1 million workers through November
By Nick Lichtenberg and Eva RoytburgDecember 9, 2025
1 day ago
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.