New | How do you hail a ride in English in China? Just say ‘Didi’
Didi will add an option for English interface in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou for its ride-hailing app, and then expand the option throughout China.
Didi Chuxing, China’s dominant ride-hailing service, has rolled out a bilingual function for its ride-hailing app, to cater for expatriates and foreign tourists in China, a first step towards its internationalisation plans, the company said.
The bilingual features, which includes the option for an English interface, will be available in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou during the initial launch, and then become progressively available in other Chinese cities.
Other bilingual options include a real-time, in-app text messaging translation service for its taxi, premier and carpool services, allowing passengers and drivers to communicate within the application even if a passenger does not write or speak Mandarin.
Customer service support over the phone or e-mail will also be made available to such passengers, according to Didi.
“Internationalisation of mobility services in China is a crucial link in Didi’s broader global strategy,” the company said on Monday, pointing out that over a million foreigners worked and lived in China with over 28 million visiting as tourists in 2016.
