Uber is finally letting women riders in the US match with women drivers

Uber is set to roll out a groundbreaking feature in the United States that allows female riders to connect exclusively with women drivers. This initiative, which has been in place in several countries since its inception in Saudi Arabia six years ago, aims to enhance safety and comfort for women using the ride-hailing service. Launching first in cities like Detroit, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, the feature will enable women riders to specify a preference for female drivers directly within the Uber app. Once this option is selected, they will see the choice for 'women drivers' when requesting a ride. Should the wait time be longer than anticipated, riders have the flexibility to request a different ride if they choose. Female drivers will also have the ability to set their preferences, allowing them to receive ride requests solely from women or from all riders. This move is part of a broader effort by ride-hailing companies, including Uber and Lyft, to address safety concerns that have long troubled users and regulators alike. Safety in ride-hailing services has been a contentious topic, with incidents of sexual assault and violence sparking significant concern. According to Uber's latest safety report, there were 36 fatalities from physical assaults in 2021 and 2022, a figure that has raised alarms despite representing a small percentage of the 1.8 billion rides taken during that period. In response to these challenges, Uber has implemented several safety features over the years, including verified rider badges and the option to record rides. Notably, reports of sexual assaults have decreased significantly, dropping from 5,981 incidents in 2017 to 2018 to 2,717 from 2021 to 2022. This new feature not only aims to improve safety for female riders but also seeks to encourage more women to become drivers, as the gender disparity remains evident—only about one in five Uber drivers in the U.S. are women. As the first major ride-hailing platform to introduce the women preferences feature, Uber is making strides to foster a more inclusive environment for all users.