Baja California’s state government and rideshare platform DiDi signed an agreement on April 27 to connect the app’s emergency button directly to the state’s C5 public safety command center. Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda led the signing ceremony in Tijuana.
Under the new system, when a rider or driver triggers the in-app panic button, the C5 (Centro de Control, Comando, Comunicación y Cómputo) will automatically receive the person’s name, phone number, vehicle description, and real-time GPS coordinates. That data will allow dispatchers to coordinate an immediate response with state security agencies and the attorney general’s office.
How the System Will Work
The state’s Instituto de Movilidad Sustentable (IMOS), Baja California’s sustainable mobility agency, will oversee the technical link between DiDi’s platform and the C5 to ensure it remains operational at all times. IMOS Director Jorge Alberto Gutiérrez Topete called the tool a key step in protecting both passengers and drivers who use app-based transportation.
State authorities plan to evaluate the results over the coming months and may expand the model to other digital ride platforms. The goal is to reduce crime during app-based trips and build a more reliable data set for future investigations.
Women’s Safety and Free Ride Vouchers
Women request 50% of all DiDi rides in Baja California. That share climbs to 60% during nighttime hours. The platform already offers a feature that lets female drivers accept ride requests exclusively from female passengers.
As part of the agreement, DiDi will distribute 500 free ride vouchers to women who are victims of domestic violence. The vouchers are designed to cover transportation to the Centro de Justicia para las Mujeres (CEJUM), where recipients can access medical care, legal advice, and file police reports without the cost or risk of arranging their own transit.
DiDi’s Footprint in Baja California
Daniela Reyes Torres, DiDi’s national director of government relations, said the company has contributed 271 million pesos (roughly $14.5 million USD) to the state’s gross domestic product since launching in the region in 2018. More than 140,000 people in Baja California currently depend on income generated through the app.
The agreement was first reported by Jornada BC and confirmed by multiple regional outlets including El Imparcial and Tijuana en Línea.