Didi promises to prioritize safety over profit in public apology

Founders of China's largest ride-hailing platform Didi Chuxing issued a public apology after a passenger was raped and murdered a few days ago in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. Didi said that it failed to ensure the safety of its passengers, said co-founders Cheng Wei and Liu Qing.

A customer uses the Didi Chuxing app on their smartphone. Didi has suspended its hitch-hiking service nationwide in the wake of a recent killing allegedly committed by one of its drivers. [File Photo: IC]

In the letter, the company promises to prioritize safety over profit. It said that it will do this by upgrading the safety features on its platform by providing an SOS Button and Itinerary Sharing functions in its app. The company also announced that it will close its hitch-hiking service until it is in a position to win back the trust of customers, and that it will deepen its cooperation with public security organs.

The recent killing was the second involving a Didi driver in about three months. It has triggered public outrage, with many people accusing the company of sitting on its hands during the three months it claimed to be improving its hitch-hiking service. Many users have said they have deleted the Didi app, saying that they will never trust the company again.

It is reported that ten Didi drivers have been convicted of raping passengers over the last two year, according to the Legal Evening News. The youngest victim was only nine years old.

The Ministry of Transport said that the recent incidents have exposed undeniable operational loopholes in the company's business practices, and that the company did not learn from the prior incident nor did it take steps to quickly address potential risks.

Authorities have pledged to crack down on illegal conduct in the transportation sector, especially in the Internet ride-hailing service industry. This includes banning new vehicles and drivers from signing up for Did's hitch-hiking service, according to the Ministry of Transport.