Uber Exploring Option for Children as Young as 10 to Ride Alone
Uber is working on letting 10-year-olds ride alone. This revelation emerges from code found in the latest version of its iOS app, which refers to adding a "tween" aged 10 to 12 to an Uber Family profile.
According to Bloomberg, the feature would allow parents to designate a trusted adult contact for their tween and opt to have a grown-up present at pickup or drop-off. The code also hints at existing safety features like background-checked drivers, pin verification, and ride tracking, already present in Uber’s teen product.
"This isn’t a live product," an Uber spokesperson clarified, adding that the only teen option currently available is for 13 to 17-year-olds.
While Uber has been expanding beyond adult passengers for years, this move would directly compete with HopSkipDrive, which caters exclusively to children as young as six, differentiating itself by its stringent driver certification process and specialized caregiving experience.
The safety implications of allowing younger children to ride alone in Uber vehicles are a point of contention, especially given the company’s history with adult passengers. Critics have long argued that ride-hailing apps fail survivors of assault.