Emergency UX for taxi drivers

I was approached through mutual connections to conceptualize an app tailored for taxi drivers, one that would directly compete with Uber and similar services, but specifically address the unique challenges faced in Latin American cities.

During our discussions (which took place over an authentic Argentine asado) the focus quickly shifted to a critical issue: taxi drivers in the region frequently face the terrifying risk of being mugged at gunpoint, particularly during late-night hours.

This informal yet insightful qualitative research session revealed a clear and urgent demand: taxi drivers need a discreet "panic button" feature within an app. This button should silently alert the operator, share the live location of the cab, and enable the operator to contact the police without alerting the assailant.

Given the complexity of such scenarios, it’s important to acknowledge that no single mobile app can address every possible situation. Instead, this mini-case study is a starting point; a focused response to a very specific need. From the outset, I emphasised to the drivers that any solution must be not only silent but also completely invisible to passengers, especially the hostile ones. Like the hidden buttons often depicted in movies, the feature should remain unnoticed by potential attackers to avoid escalating the danger for the driver.

With these constraints in mind, I quickly designed the following mockup, presented in Argentine Spanish, as an initial conceptual solution to their pressing safety concerns.

Here you can see the Interaction Design