Uber for Teens debuts in India: Safer rides, parental controls, and real-time tracking

Uber has officially begun rolling out its Uber for Teens service in India, a feature designed to allow parents and guardians to set up accounts for teenagers aged 13 to 17 while ensuring greater control over their rides. Initially launched in the United States in 2023, the feature has now expanded to over 50 countries worldwide.

The new service enables teenagers to book Uber rides from their own devices, while their guardians can track trips in real-time, set limits on the number of rides, and access additional safety features.

The service has already started appearing in the Uber app for Indian users, with Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, and Mumbai being the first cities to get access. According to a report from TechCrunch, Uber plans to expand Uber for Teens to 35 more Indian cities in the coming weeks, including Ahmedabad, Chennai, and Hyderabad.

To set up an account, parents or guardians can invite their teenager by adding their contact details through the Uber app. Once accepted, a teen account is created with built-in safety measures.

Uber has introduced a number of safety-focused features for teen accounts to give parents peace of mind:

    •    Guardian Oversight: Parents and guardians can track their teenager’s ride in real time and receive notifications for every trip.
    •    Driver Screening: Teen riders are only matched with highly-rated and background-checked drivers.
    •    Audio Recording: If an Uber call occurs between the driver and the teen, parents can access an audio recording for added security.
    •    Destination Lock: Once a ride is booked, drivers cannot change the drop-off location.
    •    PIN Verification & RideCheck: Extra safety layers like PIN verification ensure the right driver picks up the teenager.

While guardians must add a credit or debit card to their account before setting up a teen account, once added, teenagers can choose their own preferred payment method. Additionally, parents can limit the number of trips a teen can book per month.

In its Q4 2024 financial report, Uber revealed that Uber for Teens is now live in nearly 50 countries, with India becoming one of the latest markets to adopt the feature.