Uber has launched a new feature in the United States, allowing female drivers and passengers to request trips exclusively with other women.
The feature, piloted last year, reportedly made women feel “more comfortable in the back seat” and “more confident behind the wheel.” Uber says the rollout responds to requests from female riders and drivers seeking “more control over how they ride and earn.”
Women can now reserve a trip with a female driver in advance or set a preference in the app to increase the likelihood of being matched with one. In cities offering teen accounts, teens and their parents can also request women drivers.
Around one-fifth of Uber’s U.S. drivers are women, though the ratio varies by city.
The rollout comes amid a class-action lawsuit in California, where two Uber drivers claim the feature discriminates against men by potentially giving female drivers access to a wider pool of passengers. Uber has filed a motion to move the case to private arbitration, citing agreements signed by drivers when joining the platform. The company also argued that the feature does not violate anti-discrimination law and “serves a strong public policy interest in enhancing safety.”
Ride-sharing companies have faced similar scrutiny over features allowing women or non-binary riders and drivers to prioritize matches. Last month, a U.S. court ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to a woman who was sexually assaulted by a driver, in a ruling the company plans to appeal. Uber emphasizes that its drivers are independent contractors subject to background checks.
Uber already offers women-only matching for drivers in over 40 countries and for riders in seven countries, including Spain, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia.
