By ALEXANDRA OLSON
Updated 6:39 AM PDT, March 9, 2026
NEW YORK (AP) — On Monday, Uber introduced a new feature that connects women riders and drivers in the U.S. for trips, enhancing a pilot initiative aimed at addressing safety concerns within its ride-hailing platform.
This nationwide rollout occurs despite a class action lawsuit in California, where Uber drivers allege the feature discriminates against men. Similarly, competitor Lyft is contending with a discrimination lawsuit related to a similar feature it launched in 2024.
According to a blog post, the “Women Drivers” option allows female passengers to request a female driver. If the wait for a woman driver is lengthy, users can choose another ride or book a trip in advance. Additionally, female users can adjust their app settings to increase their chances of being matched with a woman driver, while Uber also permits teen account users to select female drivers.
Women drivers on the platform can choose to prioritize rides with female passengers and can deactivate this preference whenever they wish.
Based in San Francisco, Uber reports that around 20% of its drivers in the U.S. are women, with this percentage varying by location.
Two California drivers filed a class-action lawsuit against Uber in November, asserting that the “Women Preferences” feature violates California’s Unruh Act, which prohibits sex discrimination in business. They argue that the feature enables minority female drivers to access a broader passenger pool while limiting male drivers to a smaller one. The lawsuit also claims that this policy perpetuates the stereotype that men are more dangerous than women.
In response, Uber has filed a motion to compel arbitration based on an agreement the drivers signed upon joining the platform, asserting that the feature serves an essential public safety interest.
The company stated in its court filing, “This feature is a logical solution to a longstanding request from both women drivers and riders who have expressed a desire for increased comfort and safety when traveling with another woman.”
Meanwhile, Lyft faces a similar lawsuit concerning its “Women+Connect” feature, which matches women and nonbinary riders with drivers identifying similarly.
Uber initially piloted the “Women Preferences” feature in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Detroit last summer, expanding it to 26 U.S. cities by November. The company first implemented a version of this feature in Saudi Arabia in 2019, following the country’s groundbreaking law granting women the right to drive. Similar options are now available in 40 other countries, including Canada and Mexico.
For years, both Uber and Lyft have been criticized for their safety records, with numerous reports of sexual assaults involving both riders and drivers. In February, a jury found Uber liable for a 2023 sexual assault case, resulting in an $8.5 million judgment in favor of an Arizona woman who claimed she was raped by an Uber driver.
Uber contends that it is not responsible for its drivers’ misconduct since they are independent contractors. However, the company asserts its commitment to improving safety, including collaborating with Lyft since 2021 to create a shared database of drivers banned for sexual assault and other serious offenses.
According to Uber, reports of sexual assaults have declined over time. From 2017 to 2018, there were 5,981 reported incidents during U.S. rides, compared to 2,717 from 2021 to 2022, which the company claims represented merely 0.0001% of all trips nationwide.
ALEXANDRA OLSON
Olson is a business reporter for The Associated Press, focusing on women’s issues in the workplace. She has extensive experience as a correspondent in Latin America.
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