Uber has rolled out a new pilot feature designed to make rides feel safer for women on both sides of the app. The “Women Preferences” option, which launched in select U.S. cities on July 23, lets female riders request female drivers when one is available nearby.
The feature focuses on comfort and security, aiming to connect women riders and drivers whenever possible. It’s an update that many in the rideshare community have been asking for as safety concerns continue to shape how people choose to travel and work.
According to Uber, this pilot responds directly to feedback from women riders who want more control over who picks them up. Once enabled in the app settings, it automatically pairs women riders with women drivers when they’re in range.
This isn’t Uber’s first attempt at offering gender-based pairing. The company first introduced Women Preferences in 2019 in Saudi Arabia, after the country passed a historic law allowing women to drive. Following its success there, Uber expanded the option to Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa. Now, it’s being tested across select U.S. markets, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, and Detroit, with plans to expand further.
“I think [the feature] has good values and a good mission,” said senior Akemi Kwan, a frequent Uber user. “[But] I personally haven’t felt endangered with my Uber drivers.”
Kwan, who often takes Uber to grab food, get to school when she wakes up late, or call a ride home at night, added, “Uber’s just reliable.”
For many riders, especially students or those without a driver’s license, rideshare apps fill a significant gap in their daily transportation needs. “My mom, at first, wasn’t as comfortable as she is now with me taking Uber,” Kwan said. “Getting in a car with a complete stranger, having full control over where you go, can be daunting and scary. But once she saw I was getting to the places where I needed to be, she was fine.”
Not every rider shares that level of comfort. Senior Yaretzi Calderon said she no longer uses Uber due to her mother’s concerns and her own experiences. “My mother always tells me, ‘Don’t go with strangers,’” Calderon said. “So if somebody’s driving me somewhere I don’t know by myself, that person could easily kidnap me.” She now prefers using services like Waymo, saying she feels “safer with a robot than with a human driver.”
Calderon’s concerns echo those of other users who have sometimes felt uneasy during Uber trips. “[The driver’s] whole car smelled like smoke and weed, so we’re like, ‘What happened here? Was he smoking on the job?” she said.
Other passengers see the issue differently. Freshman Lucas Chuang believes that comfort and safety have less to do with gender and more to do with personality. “It depends on the actual person more than their gender,” Chuang said. “You could have someone that’s really weird, [and] unfriendly, but they can be both male and female, or someone friendly and open, and can be male [or] female.”
Even so, Chuang said the new setting could give riders more peace of mind. “It’s just like human nature that you feel more comfortable with your own gender,” he said. “I think it could be like a progressive step, and it makes the actual passenger and driver feel more comfortable.”
Parents have also voiced concerns about the safety of rideshare apps. “I know my husband has concerns about the rideshare apps,” said M-A parent Janet Jennings, referring to reports of assault targeting female passengers. “That has colored my view of rideshares a bit, [so] I would want [my daughter] to use it with a friend, not just by herself.”
Uber has faced safety scrutiny for years. A 2022 company report revealed thousands of sexual assault and misconduct complaints over a two-year span, underscoring the ongoing need for stronger safeguards for both riders and drivers.
The rollout of Women Preferences has sparked debate. Many female riders and drivers have praised the feature as a step forward in giving women more control and peace of mind. Others online have criticized it, claiming it could unintentionally exclude men or limit driver availability.
Still, Uber says the broader goal is clear — to make rides safer and give users more choice. “I think it’s a safer way,” Calderon said. “Like I said, we don’t know these people.”
For rideshare drivers, especially women behind the wheel, this feature could open more doors. As the program expands, it may not only change how trips are matched but also how trust and safety are built across the platform. For many riders like Kwan and Calderon, an added layer of protection feels like a long-overdue upgrade.
Source: MA-Chronicle
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