Uber Expands Women Driver Matching Nationwide Amid Ongoing US Legal Cases

UBER has rolled out its "Women Preferences" ride matching feature nationwide across the entire U.S. as of March 9, enabling both drivers and riders to opt into gender-based matching . The feature offers three modes: requesting a female driver for a single trip, reserving one in advance, or setting a persistent preference in app settings. First piloted in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit in August 2025, the feature expanded to 60 U.S. cities by year-end and has powered over 230 million trips globally across 40+ countries.

The nationwide expansion comes as Uber faces mounting legal pressure over rider safety. A multidistrict litigation consolidating 3,700+ sexual assault plaintiffs across 30 states is proceeding in Northern District of California, and a federal jury in Phoenix ordered UBER to pay $8.5 million in February 2026 to a woman sexually assaulted by her driver — with the jury treating the driver as Uber's agent. Internal documents revealed in litigation discovery show approximately 70,000 incidents of sexual assault or misconduct in 2017 alone, climbing to 85,000+ by 2024 according to plaintiff attorneys. The next MDL trial has jury selection set for April 13, 2026.

The feature itself faces legal challenges from a different direction: male drivers in California filed a class action arguing Women Preferences discriminates against men and limits their earning opportunities, seeking $4,000 per affected driver. Lyft beat Uber to market with a similar "Women+Connect" feature launched nationwide in 2024 and faces its own discrimination suit on similar grounds. With women making up roughly 1 in 5 Uber drivers in the U.S., supply constraints may limit the feature's consistency, but analysts view it as a long-term brand and safety play rather than a near-term stock catalyst.