Uber is launching a new feature in the UK that will allow families to remotely book and track trips for their elderly relatives.
These “senior accounts” are specifically designed to make it easier for older people to use the ride-hailing app to get around.
The streamlined version of the app will feature larger text, buttons that are easier to tap, simplified screens and fewer steps to secure a booking, to empower older users to navigate the service with greater ease.
Through Uber’s existing “family profiles” feature, trusted family members or caregivers can invite an older adult to set up an account.
This will allow them to remotely book or manage rides for the older user and offer support from afar. Capabilities include live-tracking of trips and the ability to contact the driver or Uber’s safety reporting line.
Loved ones will also be able to access the driver’s name and vehicle information when a booking is made.
Users can save favourite places for booking shortcuts, or use flexible payment options, and they also have the option to book trips independently without linking to a relative.
Senior accounts were piloted in the US and Latin America last month and will now be rolled out in the UK.
Uber said it worked with older users and accessibility advocates to develop the feature, which was designed to address concerns that many elderly people feel excluded from technology or do not have the skills to be digitally savvy.
It also follows the launch of “teen accounts” last year, where parents and carers can also supervise bookings and teenagers are matched to more experienced drivers.
Uber UK’s general manager Andrew Brem said the tools “prioritise simplicity, safety and peace of mind” for older people and their families.
“These features are all about helping older adults stay independent and connected, while giving loved ones the confidence that Uber is there to help,” he said.
