Uber Black, the ride-sharing company’s premium ride service, now has an option that essentially tells the driver to shut up and drive during your trip.
TechCrunch reports that riders in the US who book premium Uber Black and Uber Black SUV rides can choose “Quiet Mode” to signal to drivers that they’re not interested in a conversation other than at pickup and drop-off.
The feature is expected to be especially popular with female passengers, who may be particularly uncomfortable with being chatted up by male drivers.
Passengers can also select “happy to chat” or “no preference” in the app.
Uber drivers don’t seem to be taking the added direction personally. “The reaction of Uber Black drivers was overwhelmingly positive because they want to deliver a great experience to their rider… but they don’t necessarily know what the rider wants,” said Uber product manager Aydin Ghajar.
“These guys take a lot of pride in what they do as customer service agents.”
Other options built into the newest version of the Uber app alerts the driver that you have luggage, and your air-conditioning preferences.
