Bolt Enhances Safety Measures with AI to Prevent Account Takeover Following Female Student Incident
Bolt is deploying facial recognition and AI monitoring after a Bangkok student was taken past her destination by a driver using a fraudulent account who allegedly grabbed her phone when she asked him to stop.
Bolt announced enhanced safety measures following an incident where a female student was taken past her destination by a ride-hailing driver. The company is deploying facial recognition technology to verify driver identity and increasing random verification checks to prevent account takeover and impersonation. Real-time AI monitoring will detect irregularities during rides, and customers can verify driver details before each trip.
The incident occurred in late April when a student requested a ride home in Bangkok's Nong Khaem district. The motorcycle lacked a registration plate and made a suspicious stop at a gas station, suspected to be for illicit substances. When the student video recorded a request to stop, the driver allegedly tried to grab her phone and refused to comply, leading her to jump from the bike and sustain injuries.
Bolt Thailand confirmed the driver was using an account fraudulently and has suspended his account while alerting other platforms. The company has previously suspended over 40,000 riders for violating platform policies. In an official statement on May 11, Bolt affirmed that services continue normally while working closely with relevant authorities on electronic system certification. Safety measures include strict driver verification using facial recognition with increased random checks, zero-tolerance policies for shared or misused accounts with immediate permanent suspension, real-time AI safety monitoring with rapid response reporting systems, and pop-up alerts allowing passengers to verify driver and vehicle information before each trip.
