Uber will help pair women riders and drivers in the US

Uber is piloting a "Women Preferences" feature in the US, allowing women riders to choose women drivers. This feature, initially launched in Saudi Arabia, is expanding to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit. Riders can select this option for on-demand or pre-booked rides, or set a preference to increase the likelihood. Women drivers can also opt to only accept rides from women riders. Uber has expanded this feature to 40 countries based on user requests. The feature aims to enhance safety for both riders and drivers. Competitor Lyft offers a similar program, "Women+ Connect," which is more inclusive of non-binary individuals. Safety improvements are a key focus for ride-hailing services following reports of assaults. Uber's feature currently does not explicitly include non-binary individuals. The initiative is a response to concerns regarding rider and driver safety.