Uber Expands Female Driver Match Amid Legal Battles

Uber is expanding its "women drivers" feature nationwide, allowing female riders and drivers to be matched for trips. This initiative aims to address safety concerns on the ride-hailing platform. The expansion proceeds despite a class-action lawsuit filed by Uber drivers in California, who argue the policy is discriminatory against men.

This legal challenge mirrors a similar discrimination lawsuit faced by rival Lyft over its "women+connect" feature introduced earlier in 2026. Uber's expanded offering provides multiple options, including requesting a female driver through the app and setting a preference for one.

The company stated that this feature is a "commonsense solution" to requests from users who feel more comfortable riding with other women. Uber pilots tested the feature in select cities last summer before broader expansion. Similar options are now available in 40 countries.

Uber, which has faced criticism over its safety record, including thousands of assault reports, maintains that such features serve a significant public policy interest in enhancing safety. The company also highlighted a decrease in reported sexual assaults between 2017-2018 and 2021-2022.