Uber will let women drivers and riders request to avoid being paired with men starting next month

In a significant step towards improving safety on its platform, Uber has announced a new feature that allows women drivers and riders to connect with each other. This initiative, set to launch next month in the United States, aims to provide a greater sense of security and comfort to female users of the ride-hailing service. Starting next month, women passengers will have the option to select a preference for female drivers when booking or pre-booking rides through the app. Similarly, women drivers can opt to drive only female passengers. Camiel Irving, Uber's vice president of U.S. and Canada operations, emphasized the importance of empowering women, stating, "It's about giving women more choice, more control, and more comfort when they ride and drive." While Uber noted that there is no guarantee users will always be matched according to their preferences, this new feature is designed to enhance the likelihood of women being paired together. The pilot program will initially roll out in key cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit, and has previously been tested in countries like France, Germany, and Argentina. This initiative is not Uber's first attempt to cater to gender preferences; back in 2019, the company introduced a similar feature for female drivers in Saudi Arabia following the lifting of the ban on women driving. That offering has since expanded to approximately 40 countries. With ongoing safety concerns surrounding ridesharing services, Uber has been actively working to address issues related to sexual assault and harassment. Recent safety enhancements include features like teen accounts and rider verification. Meanwhile, competitor Lyft has also introduced a similar matching option for women and nonbinary users, highlighting the industry's shift towards prioritizing user safety in the ride-hailing experience.