Uber Introduces New Senior-Friendly Features

The rideshare company Uber has announced a pair of features intended to make the app easier to use and more intuitive for older riders.

The company is adding a “senior account” feature, which will enable family members to install, track and pay for rides.

Yet another additional feature being rolled out is “simple mode,” which is a more senior-friendly version of the app for seniors using the app themselves.

To create a senior account, existing users of Uber can add senior adults onto their family profile in the app. Whoever manages the family profile can then book rides on behalf of the senior rider, manage payments, and set monthly spending caps.

 The family profile also lets Uber users track a connected family member in real time, reach out to drivers, and add saved places for frequent stops. Passengers using senior accounts can choose to pay with their own payment method, one registered by a relative, or even with a Medicare flex card.

The app’s simple mode feature is intended for seniors who are not part of a relative’s family profile. The changes include increased text size, a streamlined interface, and easy to follow, in-app instructions.  Additionally, the icons are larger, there are fewer buttons, and saved locations make it easier for seniors to get out of the house or run errands.

Credit: Uber

The feature is now available in the United States, as well as certain cities across France, Portugal, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, South Africa, and Taiwan.

The introduction of this feature comes as part of a wider push to make technology more user-friendly for older adults, especially as populations across the world are rapidly aging.

The number of people over the age of 60 is expected to double between 2015 and 2050. That trend originated in high-income countries with slowing birth rates, but now low-and middle-income countries are experiencing similar population shifts. These changes will require societies to figure out how to accommodate a large swatch of the population as they enter their senior years, a phase often marked by health challenges.

Uber says that it created these senior-friendly features with the help of accessibility advocates.

Ashu Manohar, Uber’s director of product management, commented that “these features reflect our dedication to designing technology that meets people where they are and supports mobility at every stage of life.”

Silvia Candamil Neira, vice president of the Global Initiative on Ageing and Longevity, an organization supported by the United Nations and dedicated to improving the standard of living for aging populations across the globe, praised the move, remarking that “Transportation is one of the biggest barriers to independence as people age. Solutions like Uber’s senior accounts help break down that barrier by offering a simple and flexible way for older adults to get where they need to go—without always having to rely on others. It’s about dignity, freedom, and staying connected to the people and places that matter most”

This is not the first time Uber has introduced age-specific features. Uber had previously introduced teen accounts, which allowed users below the age of 18 to travel alone in connection with a parent’s account. Similar to senior accounts, teen accounts included payment support and live trip-tracking for safety.