Uber To Let Teens Ride Alone Under Parental Supervision

Uber Technologies Inc (NYSE:UBER) is pushing the boundaries of ridesharing by allowing teenagers, ages 13 to 17, to take solo rides under the watchful eyes of their parents.

What Happened: Announced Wednesday during Uber’s third annual GO-GET product showcase, "teen accounts" present both convenience for busy parents and an array of questions about what could potentially go wrong.

Under the new feature, parents can create a family profile that links multiple Uber accounts, enabling them to pay for rides and track their teens’ real-time location.

Potential drivers must be experienced and highly rated, Uber said, adding an additional layer of safety. The company has a number of built-in, privacy-preserving features, including Verify My Ride, RideCheck and Audio Recording. Parents can also maintain constant contact with the driver during a trip, reach out to Uber's support team or report an issue on behalf of their teen.

Uber’s teen accounts are now live in select cities across the U.S., including Atlanta; Bloomington, Indiana; Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton, Ohio; Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Minneapolis; Nashville, Tennessee; the New York City metro area, including its suburbs; and Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona.

UBER Price Action: Shares of Uber are trading 1% higher to $37.82, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

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