Uber’s teen account feature is now available to Californians under 18.
The feature, which launched in cities like Las Vegas, Washington D.C. and Chicago in 2023, officially made its California debut on Thursday.
The new account feature allows teens 13- to 17-year-olds to set up their own personal accounts through their families’ profiles.
The company said that only experienced and highly rated drivers are eligible to take on rides from teens, and drivers can also opt out of driving a teen.
The special account allows parents to live-track their child’s trip so they will know exactly where their teen is going and who is behind the wheel. They can also contact their teen’s drivers directly during trips and contact the company’s support team to report an issue on behalf of their teen.
Other safety features will be automatically turned on during trips and teens will have the option to activate the audio recording feature as well. Parents can also set spending limits.
Teens riding alone in Ubers is nothing new, but the new features change how the company deals with under-aged passengers.
Parents have long used Uber as a carpool alternative, and teenagers have set up their own accounts even though users technically need to be 18 to do so.
The decision on whether to check IDs to verify the age of riders has primarily been left to drivers, The Hill reported.
Teen accounts will also be made available on Uber Eats.
