You can now avoid overly chatty Uber drivers during your next ride in Madison and Milwaukee.
Uber announced Tuesday that it has launched Uber Comfort, a feature that allows passengers to select “quiet preferred” in their Uber app if they want to ride in silence. They can also choose “happy to chat” or “no preference.”
Uber Comfort also provides passengers with vehicles that have extra leg room and drivers that have higher ratings. It launched today in 43 cities in the U.S., along with Ottawa.
However, the added luxuries of Uber Comfort will cost you. Passengers will pay around 20% to 40% more than an average UberX ride, according to Tech Crunch, though it will still be less than an Uber Black or Uber Select vehicle.
via Uber
Drivers must maintain a rating of 4.85 or higher to be eligible for Uber Comfort, Uber said.
The “quiet ride” option has been a somewhat controversial feature since Uber first began testing it on Uber Black and Uber Black SUV premium rides in May. Critics argue that it dehumanizes drivers, treating them like robots that can be turned on and off. Proponents say the feature benefits anxious riders, as well as female passengers who’d prefer to avoid a potentially uncomfortable conversation with a male driver.
Uber Comfort is available in the following cities: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Charlotte, Chicago, Connecticut, Dallas, Fresno, Hampton Roads, Houston, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Madison, Memphis, Milwaukee, Nashville, New Jersey, New Orleans, Omaha, Orange County, Ottawa, Palm Springs, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh-Durham, Rhode Island, Richmond, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Tucson, Wichita, and Washington D.C.
Uber’s stock was up slightly Tuesday afternoon, trading around $43 a share, just off its IPO price of $45.
