Uber Prioritizes Rider Safety and Accessibility with New Features for Women and Seniors
Uber is rolling out a suite of new features designed to enhance safety and accessibility for its riders, including a program allowing women riders to request female drivers and a simplified booking process for older adults and those less familiar with technology. These initiatives, announced this week, reflect a growing industry trend toward personalized ride-sharing experiences.
Addressing Safety Concerns for Women Riders
A key component of Uber’s latest push is the “Women’s Preferences” program, currently piloting in Detroit, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The program allows riders to indicate a preference for a female driver, aiming to provide a more comfortable and secure experience. According to a company release, the initiative stems directly from rider feedback.
“Women riders and drivers have told us they want the option to be matched with other women on trips,” stated Camiel Irving, VP of Operations for US and Canada. “We’ve heard them – and now we’re introducing new ways to give them even more control over how they ride and drive.”
The feature functions by allowing riders to select a preference for female drivers within the app. While Uber acknowledges that matching isn’t guaranteed, particularly during peak demand, riders can pre-book trips or adjust their default settings to increase the likelihood of being paired with a female driver. For drivers, the program offers the opportunity to accept requests exclusively from female riders, particularly during evening hours, by toggling the “Women Rider Preference” in their app settings. Drivers retain the flexibility to switch off the preference and accept all ride requests at any time.
Uber’s experience with similar programs in other countries has been positive. Launched in Saudi Arabia in 2019, following the lifting of a decades-long ban on women driving, the “Women Rider Preference” feature has since expanded to 40 countries, facilitating over 100 million rides. Irving emphasized the importance of thoughtful design in ensuring the feature’s usability across diverse markets, noting testing in countries like Germany and France.
Lyft Follows Suit with ‘Favorite’ Driver Feature
Responding to the evolving landscape of rider preferences, Uber’s competitor, Lyft, announced a similar feature on Thursday, July 24. Lyft’s program allows riders to “favorite” drivers, increasing the chances of being matched with them on future trips. The feature will roll out in select cities in the coming weeks and across the U.S. and Canada by the end of August. This initiative was inspired by the strong relationships that have developed between passengers and drivers, such as the friendship between Monika Hannibal and Phoenix-based driver Dina Garrett, who have completed over 350 rides together.
Simplifying Rides for Seniors and Less Tech-Savvy Users
Alongside the safety-focused initiatives, Uber is also addressing accessibility concerns by introducing a simplified booking process for “older adults” and those less comfortable with technology. Details regarding the specifics of this feature remain limited, but the company confirmed its rollout in a recent announcement.
These new features represent a significant investment by Uber in enhancing the rider experience and addressing evolving safety and accessibility needs. While the long-term impact of these programs remains to be seen, they signal a commitment to providing more personalized and secure transportation options for a wider range of users.
