News
Uber rolls out updates, including a way for teens to book rides
Published
12 months agoon
By
New Yorker
Dara Khosrowshahi, chief executive officer of Uber
David Paul Morris | Reuters
Uber announced several updates Wednesday during the company’s annual Go-Get product showcase.
The new options include the ability to reserve a ride with a car seat, to call an Uber without the app, and to add teens to a family profile, among others. This year’s Go-Get event marks Uber’s first in-person press conference since the pandemic.
“Whether you’re staying home or getting out there, we are building with humans for humans,” CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said during the event.
Shares of Uber are up around 51% year to date and, in a release about Uber’s first-quarter results earlier this month, Khosrowshahi said the company is off to a “strong start” for the year. The new options provide an example of how the company hopes to maintain its momentum while competitors such as Lyft, which is down about 25% year to date, continue to struggle.
Here are the key new offerings announced Wednesday:
Uber Car Seat
Families and caregivers in Los Angeles and New York City will be able to request a ride with a car seat for children up to 65 pounds as part of Uber’s partnership with the car seat company Nuna. Uber plans to roll out this feature in more cities in the future.
1-833-USE-UBER
Uber has introduced a phone number people can call to book a ride without using the Uber app. The company said this will help people who might struggle with navigating smartphones or apps access the same “effortless” Uber experience. People in the U.S. can request a ride by speaking English or Spanish at 1-833-USE-UBER, or 1-833-873-8237.
“We all know that not everyone is comfortable using a phone or an app to call an Uber, like my mother-in-law,” Khosrowshahi said. “What could be easier for her?”
Family profiles and teen accounts
Beginning May 22, teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 will be able to request their own deliveries and rides. Consenting parents and guardians will have full control over their teens’ accounts, and they can monitor trips and deliveries in real time. Uber said only “highly rated” and experienced drivers will be able to complete rides with teens.
Teen accounts will be available in select cities in the U.S. and Canada. They can be set up and managed within a “family profile” in the Uber app, which allows multiple accounts to be linked under one centralized payment method.
“It is all about helping you manage the craziness that encompasses family life in 2023,” Khosrowshahi said during the event.
Group grocery orders
Family members, friends or roommates can now build group grocery orders through Uber Eats. Users can invite participants to add items, set recurring orders and set deadlines for when to order. Eligible merchants will also help groups sort out costs by automatically splitting the bill.
Group Rides
With group rides, Uber users will soon be able to invite friends and family to add their addresses to a trip. Uber will automatically update the stops so the driver takes the most efficient route, and each individual will be charged according to the amount of time they spent on the trip.
Video Gift Messaging
Uber Eats users can record a personalized in-app video message when they send gifts to friends and family. The video will be available for the gift recipients to watch in their Uber Eats app.
Initially, users will only be able to attach videos to monetary gift cards sent through the platform, but Uber said it will soon expand to deliveries as well.
Source: CNBC
You may like
Woman who caused cyclist to fall into path of car has conviction overturned
Patriots owner tells Putin: 'Give me my f‑‑‑ing ring back’
New York Governor Apologizes for Saying Black Kids ‘Don’t Know What a Computer Is’
Natalie Elphicke defects to Labour: Dover MP on the frontline of Channel migrant crisis who replaced jailed ‘naughty Tory’ ex-husband Charlie in Commons and criticised Marcus Rashford over free school meals campaign during Euros
Vuelta Group’s SquareOne Acquires Telepool From Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook
A Walnut Recall Has Been Linked to a Multistate E. Coli Outbreak
We Asked a Psychologist Why So Many Average Men Think They Can Beat a Top Female Athlete in Her Sport
The Empty Promises of ‘Medical-Grade’ Skin Care
Election 2024 live updates: Trump to hold rallies in Wisconsin, Michigan during court break
Are Lululemon’s Leggings Getting Smaller?
Panera to stop serving ‘Charged Sips’ drinks after wrongful death lawsuits over caffeine content
Burnout Is Pushing Workers to Use AI—Even if Their Boss Doesn’t Know
Review: De’Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo Espresso Machine With Cold Brew
A (Strange) Interview With the Russian-Military-Linked Hackers Targeting US Water Utilities
Recent homes sales in Greater Boston (May 8)
Trending
-
Travel22 hours ago
Travel & Tourism Injected €215BN into Italy’s Economy
-
Auto21 hours ago
Bob Lutz Explains How GM Decided Which Brands to Kill in 2008
-
Travel20 hours ago
ATM 2024 experts examine Indian travel and tourism opportunities
-
Travel18 hours ago
TOURISM MALAYSIA STRENGTHEN TIES WITH WEST ASIA AT 31ST ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET
-
Auto19 hours ago
Volkswagen’s New California Camper Van Gets More Space and Hybrid Power
-
Travel22 hours ago
Emirates to retrofit an additional 71 A380s and B777s
-
Wellness20 hours ago
Here’s What Getting a Skin Patch Test Is Really Like
-
Tech20 hours ago
Tech Moves: NanoString CEO and CFO depart; Temporal founders swap roles; Gradial adds exec