Uber Introduces New Senior Accounts, Simple Mode to Make App More Accessible

Uber wants senior citizens, especially those who aren’t very tech-savvy, to feel safer and more comfortable using its ride-sharing app. Much like its accounts for teenagers, introduced earlier this year, a new Senior Account option will allow users to add parents or other older adults to their family profiles. This will allow a family member to book rides for the Senior Account holder, monitor their ride progress, get alerts in case of delays, and speak to the driver directly. Family members will also be able to save specific locations under familiar names in the Senior Account, to make bookings easier.

Senior Accounts also have a simplified user interface, with larger text, less visual clutter, and a more streamlined booking process with fewer options. Users will be able to pay for a senior family member’s ride, and Uber will accept medical insurance or government benefits for senior citizens such as Medicare Flex in the US as a payment method.

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Users in the US, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Portugal, France, and South Africa will be the first to see the option to set up a Senior Account. To sign up, a family member with an existing account will have to send an invitation to the older adult, and the newly created Senior Profile will be linked automatically. In India, a new Simple Mode option will be available, which offers the same UI adjustments. 

Uber says it developed Senior Accounts and Simple Mode after consulting many older adults, and enlisted the help of aging advocates and accessibility experts. Additional features for older adults and other underserved demographics are also in the works. The company cites statistics indicating that nearly one in six people will be aged 60 or above by 2030.