Uber has announced that it will introduce a new functionality allowing women to request female-only drivers. Although this may seem like discrimination against men, Uber refers to it as an enhanced safety feature.
The company verified this new functionality on its website under “women preferences.” This feature is set to launch in August.
Female passengers will have the option to request drivers of their own gender, and female drivers can request passengers of the same gender.
Uber states that the aim is to enhance security for women using the rideshare service.
Initially, the feature was trialed in several locations before being made available in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit.
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The ride-hailing service first implemented the “Women Rider Preference” back in 2019, coinciding with Saudi Arabia granting women the right to drive. Since then, this safety initiative has been expanded to 40 different countries.
Camiel Irving, Uber’s VP of operations for the U.S. and Canada, mentioned in a statement, “This is about providing women with greater choice, more control, and enhanced comfort while they ride and drive.”