Uber Brings ‘Women Riders, Women Drivers’ Feature to the U.S

Uber is finally bringing its long-requested “women preferences” feature to the United States. Starting in the coming weeks, riders in Detroit, Los Angeles, and San Francisco will be able to choose a female driver when booking a ride. Women drivers can also opt to only receive requests from other women, giving both sides more control and a greater sense of safety.

The option, already live in 40 countries globally, has been popular in places like India, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia, where it first launched in 2019. Uber says the U.S. rollout is a pilot, and the feature could expand if user feedback and adoption are strong. The company emphasizes this is part of a broader effort to make its platform safer and more welcoming, especially for women — who currently make up only about 20% of its U.S. drivers.

While Uber has taken heat in recent years over safety concerns, it reports that sexual assault incidents have dropped by over 50% since it began tracking them in 2017. Still, high-profile cases and rising pressure from regulators have driven the company to invest in new safety tools like audio and video recording, verified ID badges, and now this new gender-matching feature. Uber's move follows Lyft, which launched a similar U.S. program in 2024.