Uber will help pair women riders and drivers in the US

Uber is introducing a new feature called "Women Preferences" in the US, which will allow women riders to be matched exclusively with women drivers and vice versa. This feature was first launched in Saudi Arabia in 2019, and competitor Lyft has also operated a similar program, "Women+ Connect," since 2023. The Women Preferences feature will be piloted in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit in the coming weeks. Women riders will have the option to select "Women Drivers" when requesting a trip, or they can set a preference for a woman driver in their Uber app settings. Similarly, women drivers will have the option to request trips with women riders. Uber has expanded this feature to 40 countries based on user demand and rider feedback, as part of its efforts to improve rider and driver safety. Ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft have been working to address issues of sexual assault and violence during rides. While Lyft's Women+ Connect program acknowledges that it includes nonbinary drivers and riders, Uber's Women Preferences feature does not explicitly mention this.