Starting Thursday in California, Uber will offer teen accounts linked to a parent’s or guardian’s account, providing standard safety features along with additional security measures specifically designed for teens. This option aims to assist parents with carpool pickups and drop-offs when needed.

We interviewed a teen, a parent, a teacher, and an Uber executive for their perspectives:

• The teen expressed confidence in using Uber independently, especially when parents have access to their location.
• The parent expressed hesitation, particularly regarding their daughters’ safety and concerns if the ride takes longer than expected.
• The teacher expressed concerns about the safety of children not being adequately addressed.

Sachin Kansal, Uber’s Vice President of Product Management, emphasized the safety features integrated into the platform, reassuring parents about the safety of using Uber for teens.

When a teenager requests an Uber ride, the parent or guardian will receive a notification and can track the car’s location in real-time. Only the highest-rated and most experienced drivers are eligible to accept teen requests, and Uber conducts annual background checks on all drivers.

Teens will receive a unique PIN that they must provide to the driver to ensure they are entering the correct vehicle. Additionally, all rides will be audio-recorded, with the recordings encrypted for privacy but accessible in case the teen or parent needs to file a report.

California is the final state to allow Uber to launch the teen app, which has been operational in some U.S. cities since the start of 2023 without any issues, according to Kansal.