Uber announced a new feature on July 23, 2025, allowing women drivers and riders to match with each other in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit starting in the next few weeks. This is the first time Uber is bringing this to the United States. The company already runs this program in 40 countries, where it’s completed over 100 million rides since starting in Saudi Arabia in 2019. VP of Operations Camiel Irving said, “Women riders and drivers have told us they want the option to be matched with other women on trips. We’ve heard them and now we’re introducing new ways to give them even more control over how they ride and drive.”
Understanding the Women-Only Matching Feature
It is a setting in the regular Uber app. Riders have three ways to request women drivers: ask for one right away, book ahead, or set it as their default choice. Women drivers can also turn on “Women Rider Preference” in their settings. Plus, they can turn it off anytime, even during busy evening hours. The system matches people based on their preferences. But if no match is available quickly, it goes back to matching with anyone. Setting the preference makes it more likely you’ll get matched with a woman driver, but it’s not guaranteed.
Addressing Core Safety Concerns
The feature aims to help women feel safer during rides. Uber first launched this in Saudi Arabia in 2019 after women got the right to drive following a 60-year ban. Both female drivers and riders had asked for more control over their rides. For drivers working late or in new areas, choosing their riders can feel safer. For riders traveling alone, picking a female driver can be more comfortable. This works alongside Uber’s other safety tools like emergency help, trip sharing, and 24/7 support. Company leaders say, “At Uber, we believe that when we make our platform better for women, we make it better for everyone.”
How Gender Identification and Matching Works
Uber uses the gender information from user profiles to make matches. The company says it protects this data with strict privacy rules. Making this work wasn’t easy because only 1 in 5 Uber drivers are women. Most drivers are men. Irving said this required “thoughtful design” to make the feature “truly usable in different places around the world.” Location matters a lot. The system only tries to make preferred matches when drivers and riders are close enough to avoid long waits. The matching process balances preference with location, destination, car type, and wait times. The company warns that “riders may experience longer wait times if women drivers are unavailable or further away.”
Geographic Rollout and Availability in 2025
Uber is starting with pilots in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit. The company doesn’t have plans to expand yet, but might bring it to new cities after testing these markets. It won’t, however, be available 24/7 in these cities. Availability depends on participation levels in each area. Irving says this is “a first for the industry” in offering “more reliable features that offer women riders multiple ways to be matched with a woman driver.”
Technology Powering the Preference
The feature uses Uber’s real-time matching system, refined through over 100 million trips worldwide. The system prioritizes nearby opted-in drivers before expanding to all drivers. Riders can then wait, book a woman driver for later, or choose any available driver. Drivers who opt to see requests from preferred riders are served first. The system tries to balance the preference with Uber’s promise of reliable service. The company learned to make “this work reliably, not just symbolically” through testing across different global markets.
Navigating Criticisms and Challenges
The feature faces competition, though. Lyft launched Women+ Connect in September 2023, matching women drivers with more women riders in all U.S. cities where Lyft operates. On July 24, 2025, Lyft announced a “favorite drivers” feature. This lets riders match with preferred drivers and will launch in the U.S. and Canada by August’s end. The idea came from relationships like passenger Monika Hannibal, who has taken over 350 rides to medical appointments with Phoenix driver Dina Garrett. Some worry Uber’s feature might reduce earnings for opt-in drivers if there aren’t enough preferred riders. Others think it might increase wait times if many drivers opt in. Some question if it fixes the real safety problems or could seem discriminatory. But Uber says the feature is optional, focused on user choice for safety, not exclusion. It’s part of a bigger safety plan.
Real-World Trade-offs and User Experience
Users from the global rollout show there are trade-offs. The feature’s success across 40 countries and over 100 million trips gives insights for the U.S. launch. While it offers more comfort, this is especially true during quiet hours or in areas where fewer people use it. Riders must decide between wanting a specific match and needing a quick ride. Drivers who opt in must balance their safety preference with how many ride requests they might get. Drivers keep full control and can toggle the preference anytime.
The Future of Choice in Ride-Sharing
Uber’s women-only matching builds on six years of global experience since launching in Saudi Arabia in 2019. The U.S. rollout tests how the feature works in the American market, competing with Lyft’s Women+ Connect and upcoming favorite drivers function. Success beyond the three pilot cities will depend on user adoption, positive safety feedback, and solving participation challenges in a market where most drivers are men. Irving calls it a first for the industry in reliable women-matching capabilities.
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