Didi resumes hitchhiking service with revamped security measures

China's ride share company Didi restarted its hitchhiking service after it was closed following the killing of a young female passenger earlier this month, reports Beijing Youth Daily.

Didi Chuxing, China's leading ride-hailing online platform, announced Friday that it will suspend its "hitch" service nationwide for a week for rectification, after a driver was suspected of killing a flight attendant who used the Didi app Saturday night in Zhengzhou, Henan province. [Photo: Xinhua]

In an effort to boost the safety of the service, Didi has introduced changes to how the hitchhiking service works.

The service is unavailable from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Before each ride, Didi requires the passenger and the driver to undergo a facial recognition check that matches their face with their ID card. And users must also review information about personal safety and insurance.

In order to comply with the new arrangements, passengers need to update their privacy settings in the Didi app, and choose one of the default pictures as a head portrait photograph.

Didi has also removed the comment and tagging functions that allowed drivers to leave personal comments on their passengers.

Didi came under pressure to improve the safety of its service after a 21-year-old female flight attendant was killed on the night of May 6 after she booked a ride using the hitchhiking service. The driver, who was suspected of killing the passenger, was subsequently found dead.