DiDi to Start Trial Relaunch of P2P Ride-Hailing Service in China
Didi Chuxing announced on November 6 a trial relaunch of Hitch , its P2P ride-sharing service in seven major Chinese cities, at the end of November 2019.
DiDi Hitch was created in 2015 and became a popular day-to-day commuter ride-sharing service among China’s rising middle class. During the Chinese New Year in 2018, 30.7 million Chinese used Hitch during their annual seven-day break.
The relaunch follows a comprehensive safety review and product revamp that began in 2018. The redesigned service now features improved safety features, as well as more rigorous driver/passenger verification and rating mechanisms. DiDi is also piloting a women’s safety program with Hitch, which is expected to be rolled out onto other services as well.
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Key features include enhanced risk analysis, alert system and intervention models that identify high-risk scenarios and trip anomalies, and enable effective intervention. A new in-app Safety Assistant shows more detailed information on drivers and passengers, while offering real-time support from safety specialists.
DiDi experienced a pretty turbulent year in 2018 as several passengers and drivers using their platform were murdered or raped. The events caused distress among the public and pushed the company to introduce more stringent safety protocols on their platform, including suspending and entirely revamping the Hitch service.
DiDi Hitch will start a trial relaunch in seven major Chinese cities in November.
