Improving Ride Hail Safety, Carmel Launches New App Electronic-Coupling Feature to Help Customers Know They Are Getting into the Right Car

NEW YORK, May 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Long-serving Carmel Car and Limousine (Carmel), with service in 360 cities, today announced the launch of a new feature to its ride hail app which will improve customer safety.

The new feature, called the Safety Ping, will ensure customers are getting into the right car – the car assigned to pick them up. It acts as an "Electronic-Coupling" that can only take place when the right driver is answering the ping.

"People are distracted.  It's even worse late at night, after a long day.  Ride Hail cars are often the same shape, color, and perform trips for several ride hail companies, adding to passenger confusion," said Avik Kabessa, CEO, Carmel Car and Limousine.

The feature comes following the tragic death of Samantha Josephson, who entered the wrong car, thinking it was her ride hail car. "I was shaken by what happened to Samantha and we immediately jumped on the #What'sMyName campaign, which encouraged customers to ask drivers for their names before getting into a car. Parallel to it, I instructed our development team to work on the Safety Ping we are launching today," added Kabessa.

The Safety Ping feature works as follows:

1. Using the Carmel App (www.CarmelLimo.com/App ), customer presses the Safety Ping button on the Show Me My Car screen, receives notification the Safety Ping was sent, and is advised to only enter the car after the driver shows customer the driver app with customer's name on it.
2. The driver receives the ping and is instructed to present to the customer the screen with the customer's name and ping verification.

Carmel, New York City's transportation icon, with service in an additional 360 cities worldwide, has a strong safety record for both drivers and passengers.  "We constantly evolve to ensure our affiliated drivers and customers have a great, safe experience with Carmel. The Safety Ping was developed with the hope that what happened to Samantha Josephson will not happen to other ride hail passengers. We invite other ride hail companies to copy the safety ping feature," concludes Kabessa.  

The Carmel App is available through Apple and Google Play. To find out more about the Carmel App, go to www.CarmelLimo.com/App

Contact:  Anat Gerstein, 646-321-4400

SOURCE Carmel