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Uber is introducing a new option designed to help women feel more comfortable and in control during their rides.

Beginning next month, women in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit will be able to choose female drivers through a new pilot program — giving them more choice and comfort when booking a ride.

According to ABC News, the new in-app option, called "Women Drivers," allows female passengers to select a woman driver when booking or pre-booking a ride.

If a female driver isn't available nearby, riders can either wait, reserve a ride for later, or choose the next available driver, regardless of gender.

"Across the US, women riders and drivers have told us they want the option to be matched with other women on trips," Uber said in a statement.

Uber pointed out that since only about 1 in 5 of its US drivers are women, wait times for female drivers might be longer depending on how many are available nearby.

Women driving for Uber will also have the option to match only with women riders by enabling a setting in the app, giving them more say in who they pick up.

New Uber Feature Gives Women More Control Over Trips

This feature can be used during high-demand times too, allowing women drivers to still earn more while sticking to their preference.

"It's about giving women more choice, more control, and more comfort when they ride and drive," said Camiel Irving, Uber's vice president for US and Canada operations.

Riders can update their app settings to let Uber know they prefer a woman driver — making it more likely they'll be matched with one when available. However, Uber made it clear that matches aren't guaranteed.

This isn't Uber's first time offering gender-based ride options. In 2019, the company introduced the feature in Saudi Arabia, shortly after women there were given the right to drive.

Since then, it has expanded to about 40 countries, with over 100 million trips made using the feature, CBS News said.

Safety has long been a concern for ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft. In response, both companies have rolled out tools such as teen rider accounts, in-app emergency buttons, and rider verification features.

In 2023, competitor Lyft launched Women+ Connect, which matches women and nonbinary drivers with riders of similar identities. That feature is now available in all US cities where Lyft operates.

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