Ride-sharing firms put safety on top of the agenda

China's ride-sharing sector is entering a new stage, with major players stepping up measures to strengthen safety mechanisms and shifting their focus from the sole pursuit of fast expansion to quality growth, experts said.

Yang Xinzheng, an expert at the China Academy of Transportation Science, said China has been stepping up efforts to prevent severe accidents from happening in the country's ride-hailing industry after two female passengers were killed in separate incidents involving drivers using the Didi Chuxing platform last year.

The push by companies like Didi to ensure safety is a good sign that the sector is changing from quick expansion to sustainable growth, Yang added.