Uber Canada Lets Riders Choose Women Drivers, Adds Live Video for Teens

Uber Canada is rolling out a new option this month that lets riders ask for a woman behind the wheel. It’s the latest in a string of safety features the company has brought to Canada.

Called Women Driver Preferences, it’s open to women and non-binary riders, plus teens of any gender.

The update is one of three Uber is launching in Canada in November. The other two expand senior accounts and add live video to teen trips.

Women Driver Preferences

Eligible riders can reserve a trip with a woman driver in participating Canadian cities. On-demand requests, where you ask for a woman driver right away instead of booking ahead, will also be available in select areas.

Both depend on driver availability. Uber hasn’t said which cities are taking part yet.

On its Canadian women’s safety page, Uber says it can’t guarantee a match every time. There are fewer women drivers on the platform, so you may wait longer. If that happens, you can keep waiting, book a woman driver for later or take any available driver.

This is the rider-side version of something drivers have had for a while. Uber launched Women Rider Preference in Canada in 2023, letting women and non-binary drivers choose to pick up women riders.

Senior Accounts Can Now Be Managed Solo

Uber is also expanding the senior accounts it launched in Canada last year.

Seniors can now set up and manage a senior account on their own. They can also link up with a Family organizer, who can help book rides and handle payments.

The accounts get larger text, clearer icons and customizable pickup preferences. Seniors can also let drivers know they may need more time at pickup.

Seniors who manage their own accounts can still share their trip status with loved ones.

Live Video for Teen Trips

The third update builds on Uber’s teen accounts. Parents and guardians linked to a teen account can now check in on eligible rides through the driver’s smartphone camera.

It only works when the driver has turned the feature on. Uber says it’s meant for quick check-ins. It sits alongside existing teen account tools like live trip tracking and PIN verification.

Teens and drivers are notified when a guardian is watching. The stream is encrypted, and only the linked guardian can view it live.

Uber launched live video for teen trips in the U.S. in August. There, it says no one, including the driver, the guardian or the teen, can access the recording after the trip ends.

The new features join other recent Uber updates in Canada, like audio seat belt reminders and in-app hotel bookings.