Uber has confirmed the rollout of its Women Preferences feature to the German cities of Düsseldorf and Cologne, allowing female passengers to request rides with female drivers at standard UberX rates without additional charges. The option, first introduced in Saudi Arabia in 2019, is now active in 40 countries including Australia, France, India, and the United States. Female drivers can adjust app settings to increase matching priority with women riders.
The feature emerged in response to safety concerns, with Uber’s 2020-2021 safety report recording 2,717 reported cases and 2,300 complaints of sexual harassment and assault in the United States alone. A successful pilot in Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich last May led to the expansion in Germany. Trials in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit contributed to nationwide availability for drivers in the United States, though rider access remains limited to select areas.
Uber acknowledged that fewer female drivers on the platform mean matches cannot be guaranteed, which may result in longer wait times depending on location and time. The company anticipates the option will attract more women to drive for the platform. Competitors such as Lyft offer a comparable Women+Connect programme in all its US-operated cities for women and non-binary riders and drivers.
Christoph Weigler shared “the response in our three pilot cities last year was extremely positive. Female users and drivers confirmed to us: this option offers real added value.”
Camiel Irving shared “Across the US, female drivers and passengers have told us they want the option to be matched with other women for rides. We’ve heard them – and are now introducing new ways to give them even more control over their rides.”
