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The transportation company Uber announced the arrival of a new safety feature in its app in South Florida, designed to protect female drivers and passengers, amid the company's efforts to reduce the risks of harassment and assaults on its platform.
According to Local 10 News, this is the "Women Preferences" feature, a pilot program that allows female riders, female drivers, and now also teenagers to opt for being matched exclusively with women drivers during their trips.
"We are committed to expanding this feature until all women in the United States have access, whether as passengers or drivers," said Camiel Irving, Vice President of Operations at Uber, the media outlet reported.
When requesting a ride, passengers will see the option "Women Drivers," which they can select immediately or reserve in advance. Additionally, women drivers now have the option to accept only rides from female passengers, even during peak times and higher earning periods, such as nights.
The feature also allows you to configure these preferences directly from the app's settings.
The initiative is part of the company's efforts to enhance safety, following years of criticism due to incidents of sexual harassment. According to Uber's own safety report, the company received nearly 6,000 reports of sexual assault between 2017 and 2018. By 2022, that number decreased to just over 2,700 cases, although the issue continues to be a cause for concern.
Uber stated that it will continue to assess the impact of the program with the intention of expanding it nationally, as part of its strategy to regain the trust of users and drivers.
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