Lugano – Uber has rolled out its “Women Preferences” feature across the United States, enabling female passengers to request trips with women drivers while giving women behind the wheel the option to accept rides exclusively from other women.
The feature was developed in response to feedback from women who wanted more choice and comfort when using the platform, following safety concerns, particularly during late-night travel or in unfamiliar areas.
The “Women Preferences” feature is part of Uber’s broader effort to introduce new safety and choice options for users.
By allowing riders and drivers to select preferences within the app, the company says it hopes to improve comfort and flexibility for women using its services.
The company first tested the feature in several US pilot cities last year, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit, before expanding it to dozens of other cities and eventually rolling it out nationwide.
According to Uber, the feature is now available for drivers in over 40 countries, while riders can use the option in 7 markets including the US, Brazil, France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia.
How the feature works
Women using the Uber app can select a “Women Drivers” option when requesting a ride. Riders can also reserve trips with female drivers in advance or set a preference in the app settings that increases the likelihood of being matched with a woman driver. .
For drivers, the system includes a similar option that allows women to receive ride requests specifically from female passengers.
The preference can be switched on or off at any time, giving drivers flexibility in how they accept trips.
Matches are prioritized rather than guaranteed, since female drivers represent a minority of the company’s overall driver base.
To introduce the feature to users, Uber also shared a video on its Instagram account showing how female riders can activate the option when booking a trip, demonstrating how the app prioritizes matching them with the nearest available female driver.
