Finally there’s a polite way of letting your Uber driver know that you’re not in the mood for chit chat. The catch is that it’s only available for Uber Premium users, which is limited to Uber Black and Uber Black SUV.
These new preferences introduced on Tuesday are numerous and a little funny. Whenever you order a premium car, one that’s a luxury vehicle with a professional driver, you’ll be able to select the amount of talking that’ll take place. The options are: no preference, quiet preferred or happy to chat. You’ll also have a say in how much your driver assists you with your luggage and how warm or cold the car’s temperature will be. It’s a control freak’s dream.
Other features added onto Uber Premium are extended pick-up times, phone support and consistent vehicle quality.
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When questioned by employment laws and possible controversies regarding these new features, Aydin Ghajar, Uber’s senior product manager, said that drivers’ silence was not mandatory. “The driver is an independent contractor. We’re just communicating the rider’s preference. The driver can have that information and do with it what they want,” he said.
What about the rest of us, Uber? When is quiet mode going to be available for those of us who can’t afford limos?