Female Uber drivers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia can now opt to pick up women passengers exclusively as part of a new feature rolled out by the ride-hailing company.
CNN Business reports that Uber has introduced a new feature dubbed “Women Preferred View” in Saudi Arabia. The feature has been introduced following local research in the region where the majority of prospective female Uber drivers said they were only interested in transporting other females.
“This newly introduced feature will open new doors and opportunities for women as Uber driver-partners, while being conscientious of local cultural norms,” general manager of Uber Middle East and North Africa, Abdellatif Waked, said.
Saudi Arabia famously lifted its ban on females driving last June, and the company has presented itself as an innovative employer for women in the kingdom.
“The women’s preferred feature was designed specifically for Saudi Arabia based on extensive research done to understand the needs of women in a country going through a significant cultural transformation,” Uber spokesperson for the Middle East, Shaden Abdellatif, commented.
The company doesn’t have any plans to introduce a similar feature to other markets around the world, but other countries are looking for ways to make ride-hailing services safer after a spate of recent incidents.
For example, the South Carolina House recently passed a bill which would require rideshare vehicles to display illuminated signs. This move comes after a female college student was killed after getting into the wrong vehicle thinking it was her Uber.
