Uber's new program lets female drivers, passengers match only with other women

(WAND) - Uber has launched an option in its app that allows female drivers and passengers to select to only be matched with other women. 

This comes after Uber has faced litigation from riders who claim to have been sexually assaulted or harassed by drivers. 

According to Uber's website, the "Women Rider Preference" allows Lessor Partners who identify as women or non-binary to set a preference for picking up women Users. 

To set this preference:

1. Open the Uber App.

2. Tap the 3 horizontal lines in the bottom right of the screen. This will open the "Trip Planner."

3. Tap the Preferences icon in the bottom right corner. This will open your Driving Preferences.

4. Select the "Women Riders" toggle to enable or disable the Women User Preference.

Uber said it cannot guarantee that all Users you are matched with while using this feature will be women, or "appear in a way that you would identify as a woman." If you are matched with someone you believe is a male User while using this feature, you can cancel the lease and select "I selected trips with women riders" as your cancellation reason. If you cancel at the indicated location to initiate the lease, this will not count against your cancellation rate and you will not be charged for the cancellation.

A woman may request a lease and bring male companions with her, so long as she is present during the lease as well.

The website said, "Some women Users may not express their gender or appear in a way that matches your perception of 'femininity.'"

To access the Women Rider Preference, you must sign a form to certify that your recent gender update in-app is an accurate representation of your identity. 

The new Uber feature was first introduced in 2019 in Saudi Arabia (after the country granted women the right to drive). Since its launch, it has been adopted in over 40 countries and has been used on more than 100 million trips.

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