Bolt is partnering with driver protection platform Driver Technologies to provide the service’s premium dash cam offering to drivers at a reduced price. Local drivers get the first month free, and Bolt hopes this partnership will contribute to the reduction of crime for its drivers.

Bolt the door

Driver Technologies is essentially an app that transforms one’s smartphone into a dashcam, saving drivers the additional cost of a real one. The platform offers limitless HD video recording, minute-long clip capture for particularly eventful moments, auto-delete, and dual-cam picture-in-picture (PiP) recording. If a driver forgets to activate the camera, the app can still capture “360°” information like location and motion data.

Bolt has partnered with the platform to give its drivers free access to the app’s premium tier for the first month. The service’s subsequent R55 monthly fee is supposedly 75% off, according to the South African wing of the rideshare company. The company will provide drivers with IT support courtesy of Driver Technologies, plus data handling and processing support.

The initiative is Bolt’s newest addition to its suite of security measures, such as rider verification, pick-up codes, and trusted contacts. This partnership at least saves drivers from the cost of a dashcam, though one wonders if a one-off purchase wouldn’t be more cost-effective long term, so long as the driver is prepared for continual battery and storage maintenance. Nonetheless, tools that democratise access to security technology will be important for maintaining safety for one of the most crucial forms of public transport in South Africa.