() Uber introduced new features to make its transportation service easier to access for people of all ages. This will for the first time include the ability for teens under the age of 18 to travel alone.
At its annual product event on Wednesday, Uber introduced a new feature for teen accounts, which allows young people between the ages of 13 and 17 to request a service through the app and ride alone. Their parents and guardians will also be able to monitor the ride from a distance.
The new option will be available May 22 in more than a dozen metropolitan areas across the United States and Canada – including New York, Atlanta, Dallas and Houston – with more cities scheduled to roll out in the coming weeks and months.
Previously, those under 18 years of age could not use Uber without being accompanied in the vehicle by an adult.
Uber’s decision comes at a time when technology companies, and social networks in particular, are coming under increasing scrutiny for the impact their products can have on teens.
At Wednesday’s event, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi pitched the option as helping families “manage the madness” of driving their kids around and highlighted the company’s safety features to help ensure that “parents can rest easy”.
The new accounts include a unique PIN number that teens will have to give to their driver before boarding and in-app audio recording. A live ride tracking feature also allows parents to follow the ride through the Uber app. And parents can contact the driver directly during the ride, as well as the Uber support team.
Khosrowshahi also said that “only highly-skilled and experienced drivers will be eligible to complete trips with teens.”
Uber said it consulted Safe Kids Worldwide, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting children, in developing accounts for teens.
Uber also said Wednesday that it is rolling out a nationwide phone number so anyone who doesn’t have the app can use its service, a move likely aimed at helping older Americans who might not be used to it. to use a smartphone.
Starting this Wednesday, customers in the US will be able to dial 1-833-USE-UBER (1-833-873-8237) and request or schedule a ride.
Uber has posted strong growth in recent quarters, braving a slump that has hit much of the tech sector in recent months. Uber’s business, which branched out into food delivery services before the pandemic, has also recovered better so far from the health crises than its main US rival, Lyft.
