Uber has launched a new feature called “Women Preferences” in select U.S. cities, enabling female drivers and riders to opt into a women-only ride experience. Initially piloted in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit, the feature offers users greater control and aims to improve safety, following global success and long-standing concerns about harassment in the ride-share industry.
Details of the New Feature
The “Women Preferences” setting allows:
- Women drivers to opt into receiving trip requests only from women riders.
- Women riders to request women drivers when hailing a ride.
Users can toggle the setting manually or set it as their default in the Uber app. If no female drivers are available, the rider may choose to be matched with any driver to reduce wait times.
This opt-in feature reflects Uber’s ongoing focus on rider and driver safety and builds on a similar program that launched in Saudi Arabia in 2019. Since then, it has expanded to over 40 countries, facilitating 100 million+ rides under the women-only option worldwide.
Why Uber Is Making This Move
Uber’s latest U.S. initiative is driven by both consumer demand and safety considerations. The company’s most recent U.S. safety report noted thousands of serious sexual assault incidents in 2021–2022. Although numbers have declined, safety remains a top concern, especially for women using the platform.
Uber acknowledges that women make up only about 20% of U.S. drivers on its platform, which may affect availability and wait times. Still, the company believes offering more safety-focused options will help retain current users and attract more women to drive for Uber.
Key Highlights
- Cities launched: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit.
- How it works: Toggle women-only option manually or set as default.
- Global precedent: Over 40 countries already using the feature.
- Flexibility: Riders and drivers can opt in or out at any time.
- Safety motivator: Responds to concerns about assault and harassment.
Future Implications
- National and global expansion
If the pilot succeeds, Uber is expected to expand the feature across the U.S. and potentially refine it for additional global markets. - Increased participation from women
By improving comfort and perceived safety, Uber may attract more female drivers, which could help balance gender representation on the platform. - Competitive pressure on rivals
Lyft and niche ride-share apps like HERide have already adopted similar features. Uber’s implementation may push industry standards toward more safety-conscious design. - Privacy and verification concerns
Gender-based preferences could raise questions about how Uber collects and verifies user information, and how it protects against misuse or inaccuracies. - Regulatory and ethical scrutiny
The move could draw attention from regulators or legal observers regarding the implications of gender-specific services and their alignment with anti-discrimination laws.
Conclusion
Uber’s “Women Preferences” feature marks a significant moment in the evolution of ride-sharing safety. By offering more control to women riders and drivers, the company is both addressing public concern and positioning itself as a responsive, safety-oriented platform. How this pilot plays out may help shape the future of AI-assisted, gender-aware transportation services.
Uber has launched a new feature called “Women Preferences” in select U.S. cities, enabling female drivers and riders to opt into a women-only ride experience. Initially piloted in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit, the feature offers users greater control and aims to improve safety, following global success and long-standing concerns about harassment in the