Safety amplified: unveiling the new audio trip recording feature

At Bolt, safety comes first. That’s why we’re excited to announce the newest addition to our in-app safety toolkit: audio trip recording. 

This feature lets drivers and passengers record audio via the app during a ride, discouraging inappropriate behaviour, enhancing safety, and assisting us and the local authorities in resolving potential disputes.

Riders and drivers will be notified once audio trip recording is available in their country. Users can find the feature in Bolt’s in-app safety toolkit and use it if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe. 

In-app audio recording can only be activated during an ongoing Bolt ride. Bolt can only access files users have shared with Customer Support as a part of an incident report.

This feature will first be launched and tested in South Africa and Nigeria, and you must have the latest version of the app to use it.

How audio trip recording works

• During first-time use, audio trip recording may ask permission to access your phone’s microphone on Bolt rides.
  
• You can start recording at any point during a trip. But the feature’s only available during ongoing rides after the driver has accepted the request, and recording automatically ends once a ride finishes.
  
• Recording pauses when you open an app that uses the microphone and automatically resumes when other apps using the microphone are closed.
  
• The recording file is encrypted and stored on your device for up to 24 hours. To share the recording with Bolt Customer Support, you must attach the file to an incident report. (The encrypted recording is automatically erased from your device after 24 hours, so submit the report to Bolt Customer Support as soon as possible). 

Learn more about how we process data and your rights regarding your personal data in our Privacy Notices for Riders and Drivers.

FAQ

Are any external vendors involved?
Bolt developed this feature independently, so no external vendor helps us capture or record audio, ensuring maximum privacy.

Who has access to these recordings?
Bolt can’t access the recording on your phone — our teams can only listen to the file after you share it.

Will you share recordings with third parties?
No, but we may share the recordings with relevant local authorities (such as the police) when explicitly requested to do so.

Where will the audio trip recording feature be available?
The feature’s being launched and tested in South Africa and Nigeria before being rolled out to the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Paraguay, and other Bolt ride-hailing markets.

Safety features for drivers and riders

We offer various features and are constantly developing additional ones to ensure driver and rider safety.

Driver safety features include:

Rider management — We routinely block customers who display inappropriate behaviour.

Phone masking — Your phone number stays hidden should you need to contact a rider.

Stationary vehicle monitoring — If your car remains still for too long, our safety team calls you to ensure everything’s okay.

Learn more about the features available in your country from the Bolt driver safety page.

Rider safety features include:

Identity verification — Drivers submit a real-time selfie as part of our identity verification process during registration and on a regular basis.

Trip sharing — You can share your real-time location with friends or family.

Emergency assist button — You can quickly and discreetly alert the emergency services or a private security company.

Learn more about our features from the Bolt rider safety page.

*Bolt products and features vary by country. Those mentioned in this article may not be available in your app. We tailor our features to local conditions to ensure they’re as relevant and helpful as possible.