Following a seemingly never-ending string of bad press, Uber has been exacting some big changes, the most drastic of which saw the resignation of founder and CEO Travis Kalanick last week. But the company is also makes changes on the user level, such as finally giving passengers the option to tip their drivers within the app — a feature that has long since been employed by its rival Lyft.
In a new blog post on Tuesday, Uber unveiled yet another useful new feature that actually lets you request a ride for a “loved one,” reasoning that many people have mobility-challenged elderly family members who might not otherwise understand the technology themselves.
Although as the post points out, the feature comes in handy for anyone a user might need to give a ride to:
Now, when you set the pickup away from your current location, we’ll automatically ask whether the ride is for a family member or friend. You can then select the rider from your address book, set their destination, and request the ride on their behalf.
Once the driver is on the way, the rider will receive a text message with the driver’s details and a link to track the driver’s route. They’ll even be able to contact the driver directly. The driver will see the rider’s name, and be able to contact the rider directly, too.
Of course, the contingency for the feature to fully work is that it requires the passenger to have a functioning smart phone and the ability to use it (which … not everyone over the age of 65 does), but either way it’s a step in the right direction to aid those technology-adverse. Currently, the featured is available in 30 countries with an additional roll out coming soon.
(Via Uber)