Uber Gets a Panic Button in India

Uber riders in India will now have a panic button on their app that alerts local police in an emergency.

Launching Feb. 11, the panic button will initially be unveiled in India in response to new security measures there that followed rape allegations against a driver, Engadget reports. The new feature will eventually be available worldwide.

The panic button comes after an Indian woman’s allegations that she was raped by an Uber driver in December. The Indian transportation department initially asked Uber for a physical panic button in each car, but the company explained its decision to put the button in-app:

“In addition to causing confusion, we found that not only are physical buttons prone to wear and tear, but also mechanical malfunctions,” the ride-hailing company said. “There is no way to ensure that they are kept in working condition across all the cars in the city.”

See Uber Protests From Around the World

French Taxi drivers burn tires as they protest in the southern city of Marseille on June 25, 2015 as they demonstrate against UberPOP, a popular taxi app that is facing fierce opposition from traditional cabs.

Anne-Christine Poujoulat—AFP/Getty Images

Police officers in riot gear attempt to flip a car back onto it's wheels at Porte Maillot on June 25, 2015 in Paris. Protesters blocked roads to airports and train stations, overturning cars and setting tires on fire.

Guillaume de Senneville—Demotix/Corbis

Hundreds of taxi drivers gather next to the Olympia Stadium to protest ride-sharing apps on June 11, 2014 in Berlin.

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A demonstrator kicks a car, suspected of being a private taxi during a 24 hour taxi strike and protest in Madrid on June 11, 2014.

Paul White—AP

A taxi driver listens to speeches by his colleagues, during an Europe-wide protest of licensed taxi drivers against taxi hailing apps that are feared to flush unregulated private drivers into the market, in front of the Olympic stadium in Berlin on June 11, 2014.

Thomas Peter—Reuters

Taxi drivers hold a banner during a protest in Barcelona on June 11, 2014.

Josep Lago—AFP/Getty Images

London taxi's line up on The Mall during a protest against a new smart phone app, 'Uber' on June 11, 2014 in London.

Dan Kitwood—Getty Images

Taxi drivers park their cars and honk the horn in protest on Pennsylvania Avenue, bringing street traffic to a stop as they demand an end to ride sharing services such as Uber X and Lyft on June 25, 2014, in Washington.

PAUL J. RICHARDS—AFP/Getty Images

An Italian taxi driver distributes leaflets reading "Don't take an illegal taxi, take a white regular taxi" during a protest on June 11, 2014 in Rome.

ANDREAS SOLARO—AFP/Getty Images

Taxis drivers block a highway outside Paris, near Roissy on June 11, 2014, as they take part in a demonstration to protest the growing number of minicabs, known in France as Voitures de Tourisme avec Chauffeurs (VTC).

Fred Dufour—AFP/Getty Images

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Write to Tessa Berenson at tessa.berenson@time.com.