Uber is preparing to launch a pilot program in the U.S. next month that will allow women and nonbinary riders to request rides with female or nonbinary drivers. The feature, aimed at enhancing both safety and comfort, will also give female drivers the ability to choose to pick up only women or nonbinary passengers.
The pilot will first go live in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit—cities chosen by the company as a starting point to test user response and technical performance. Although riders’ preferences aren’t guaranteed every time, Uber says the new tool will increase the likelihood of being matched with a driver of the same gender.
A Response to Longstanding Safety Concerns
The move is part of Uber’s continued efforts to make its platform safer, especially for women. Over the years, many riders and drivers—particularly women—have expressed concerns about harassment or feeling unsafe during rides. By offering more control over who they ride with or pick up, Uber hopes this feature will bring greater peace of mind.
Uber says users will need to manually opt into the feature in their app settings. Once activated, women and nonbinary passengers can specify that they prefer female or nonbinary drivers. On the driver side, women will be able to toggle a setting that filters trip requests so they are matched only with women or nonbinary users.
Global Testing Informs U.S. Launch
Although this is a new option for the U.S., Uber has already tested similar features in other countries. In places like France, Germany, and Argentina, the company ran trials to evaluate how the gender-matching tool performed, including how it impacted driver earnings, user satisfaction, and safety perceptions.
The idea of gender-based ride matching isn’t new for Uber. In 2019, it launched a comparable feature in Saudi Arabia after women were first allowed to drive in the country in 2018. That program, which allowed women drivers to accept only female riders, eventually expanded to dozens of countries. In many of those regions, cultural norms and safety concerns made the feature a popular option among users.
Not Just for Riders — Drivers Benefit Too
While many riders may welcome the opportunity to choose their drivers more intentionally, the feature also supports women who drive for Uber—especially those who might otherwise feel uncomfortable picking up male passengers late at night or in unfamiliar areas.
According to earlier company data, women have historically made up only a small percentage of Uber’s U.S. driver base. By introducing options that prioritize comfort and safety, the company hopes to attract more women to the platform and retain those already driving.
Ride-Hailing Industry’s Troubled Safety Record
The ride-hailing industry has long struggled with safety issues. Over the years, both Uber and its competitor Lyft have faced legal challenges and public backlash related to sexual harassment and assault reports involving users on their platforms.
In response, Uber has gradually introduced a series of safety features: from emergency assistance buttons in the app to GPS-based ride tracking and audio recordings (in select regions). The company has also released transparency reports that disclose the number of reported incidents, a move intended to show accountability, even as it highlighted the scope of the issue.
The latest gender preference tool adds another layer to those efforts, focusing specifically on making the experience more comfortable for people who have historically been more vulnerable to safety risks in the ride-hailing environment.
Flexibility Without Forcing Defaults
Uber is careful to emphasize that the new matching feature won’t be the default setting for anyone—it must be turned on manually by both riders and drivers. And while the feature increases the chances of same-gender matches, it doesn’t guarantee them. In areas with fewer drivers, high demand, or outside peak hours, users may still be paired with someone who doesn’t meet their stated preference. In those cases, the rider will be notified and can decide whether to continue with the ride.
The company plans to closely monitor the pilot and gather feedback to see how it impacts user satisfaction and overall ride availability.
Though the focus is on female riders and drivers, the tool also includes nonbinary individuals, reflecting Uber’s intent to make the platform more inclusive. Both riders and drivers who identify as nonbinary can choose to participate in the preference-based matching system.
This update is part of a broader trend in the tech and transportation industries to develop features that cater to diverse user needs, especially those of groups that may have felt underserved or unsafe in the past.
