Transportation app launches exclusive feature for women: This is how travel will change

Uber , one of the most widely used mobility platforms in the world, announced the launch of a new feature that will allow female drivers to accept requests only from female passengers.

Additionally, users will also be able to select the option to be served only by female drivers. This feature, called "Women Rider Preference" and "Women Driver Preference," will be launched as a pilot program in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit in the coming weeks.

The initiative seeks to offer greater comfort and safety for both drivers and passengers.

According to Uber, female drivers will be able to activate the "Women Rider Preference" feature within the app to receive rides requested only by women.

Female passengers, meanwhile, will be able to choose "Women Driver Preference" when requesting a ride or booking one in advance, with the option to set it as the default option in their profile.

The company clarifies that these preferences will depend on the availability of female drivers in the area, so there may be longer wait times.

Although the feature is new in the United States, Uber had already implemented it in countries like Saudi Arabia since 2019 and subsequently in more than 40 global markets , including Mexico , where the “Women Driving” program has long existed.

However, in Mexico, this tool has been primarily focused on enabling more women to become driving partners, not necessarily on selecting passengers or drivers at the time of the trip.

What sets the driver apart in the United States is that both parties—drivers and passengers—can now customize this preference from the app in a flexible and straightforward way.

Uber explained that this feature responds to a need expressed by women around the world: to have greater control over who they travel with or who they transport.

Currently, only 20% of Uber drivers in the United States are women , which could temporarily limit the availability of this option. However, the company hopes this measure will also encourage more women to join as drivers.

Additionally, in its most recent safety report, Uber reported a 22% reduction in serious sexual assault incidents in the U.S. between 2021 and 2022, as part of its ongoing efforts to provide safer rides.

Although the new version of the feature has not yet been announced for the Mexican market, Uber has already shown interest in strengthening its equity and safety policies in Latin America.

If the pilot in the United States is successful, the gender preference feature could soon be rolled out to other regions, with a more automated setup like the one currently being tested in the United States.