Uber is rolling out a pilot feature in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit called Women Preferences, designed to boost safety and comfort for female riders and drivers. When activated, women riders can request a female driver for on-demand rides, scheduled trips, or by default setting. Female drivers, on their end, can opt into receiving ride requests only from women—especially useful during evening hours.
Though pairing isn’t guaranteed—longer wait times may apply due to a smaller pool of available female drivers—activating the preference increases the likelihood of a same-gender match. Riders and drivers can toggle the feature on or off at any time, and can revert to standard ride options if needed.
First launched internationally in Saudi Arabia in 2019, the initiative has since been adopted in around 40 countries. Uber says it’s adding this safety-first feature to respond directly to feedback from women globally and is now tailoring it to U.S. users. The company views this as part of broader efforts—alongside measures like PIN verification and emergency features—to create a more secure rideshare experience.
