We used to frown upon ever getting in the car with a stranger. Now it happens every day with Uber and similar ride-sharing services.

But what do you do if you find yourself in a dangerous situation?

In an attempt to increase safety following recent complaints of rape and other assaults, Uber has launched a "panic button" feature that lets passengers call 911 dispatchers directly from the app while on a ride. The feature was rolled out Tuesday to all U.S. customers.

The Uber app now has a dedicated section called "Safety Center," accessible from the home screen. It gives passengers a way to set up emergency contacts and learn about driver screening processes, insurance protections and community guidelines.

The new features can be found by tapping the shield icon. Users can then tap "911 assistance." To avoid accidental calls, they will then receive a confirmation asking if they really mean to dial 911 before the call is put through to emergency dispatchers.

The app displays the current location on the screen so users can easily share it with dispatchers

Uber is also piloting another new feature in seven cities that will automatically send the rider's location and trip details to dispatchers if the 911 button is pressed.

While Uber provides millions of rides every day, the company has faced a lot of heat of late over allegations of rape, kidnapping and groping.

The company last year settled a lawsuit with a woman who was raped by a driver in India and claimed Uber improperly obtained her medical records to smear her.

Nine other women are suing Uber claiming they were sexually assaulted by drivers and several states are investigating the company's driver screening practices.

In addition to the new safety features, Uber said it has also expanded its Safety Advisory Board and hired Jeh Johnson, the former U.S. secretary of homeland security, to be its first chairman.

Disha Raychaudhuri may be reached at draychaudhuri@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter.