ATLANTA — Uber is adding a new safety feature aimed at giving parents more visibility into their teens’ rides.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The rideshare company announced a live video feature that allows parents and guardians to view a video stream from inside the vehicle while their teenager is on an Uber trip.
The feature builds on Uber’s Teen Accounts program, launched in 2023, which allows parents to book rides for children ages 13 to 17 through a specialized version of the app.
“When the teen’s trip begins, the parent or guardian will receive a notification that video is available,” Uber said.
Both the teen rider and the driver are notified when a parent begins watching. The live video is recorded using the driver’s phone and streamed to the parent or guardian through the app.
Some Atlanta-area residents said the added layer of oversight could help parents feel more comfortable about their children using rideshare services.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Teachers questioned about walking out of superintendent’s speech
- Georgia teen told investigators she planned a school shooting. Instead, she killed her mother
- Dolly Parton dies at 80: Remembering an icon
“That’s the main reason you probably have it, is to make sure the driver’s where they’re supposed to be and no one’s getting kidnapped. It’s Atlanta, you know what I’m saying? So you’ve got to be careful about that type of stuff,” one resident said.
The new feature comes as rideshare safety remains a concern for some families.
Earlier this year, a Cherokee County jury found 44-year-old Nicholas Norwood, who was driving for Uber at the time, guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old passenger he picked up for a ride in February 2022.
“I think it’s a good thing,” another resident said. “I think just adding an extra layer of surveillance is helpful.”
Others said the feature could provide reassurance without requiring constant check-ins by text message.
“You can keep an eye and make sure the driver isn’t doing anything crazy because that’s the stories you kind of hear about,” another Atlanta resident said. “So I think it’s a good thing.”
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Atlanta is one of nine markets where the live video feature is launching. The rollout also includes Phoenix, Orlando, Portland, San Antonio and Cleveland, with Uber planning to expand the feature nationwide over the next few weeks.
“As someone who grew up in Atlanta, I Ubered when I was younger, and I just remember my parents would always text me throughout the drive to make sure I was okay,” Atlanta resident Katie King said.
Uber says the goal is not for parents to watch every second of a ride. Instead, the company views the feature as a way for parents to quickly check in as their teen travels from school to sports practice or heads home at the end of the day.
©2026 Cox Media Group
