Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing said Wednesday that it is considering lowering the minimum age for its passengers from 18 to 16, allowing some minors to use the service independently.

According to the proposed rule, passengers aged 16 and over would be able to order vehicles through the Didi app as long as they had designated an emergency contact before prior traveling alone. If the new age limit is implemented — Didi has not given a timeline — passengers between 16 and 18 will only be matched with drivers with exemplary ratings.

The platform’s announcement comes nearly a year after it barred individual passengers under 18 years of age in October. However, according to a poll the company conducted in February, over half of nearly 700,000 respondents were in favor of allowing minors to travel alone.

China has been tightening regulations on ride-hailing companies after murder cases involving Didi drivers in Henan and Zhejiang provinces sparked safety concerns among customers last year. While Didi has introduced a host of added safety measures in the months since, China’s transport ministry said in May 2018 that a new review system would be implemented to hold ride-hailing drivers to the same standards as taxi drivers. (Image: VCG)