Uber may be preparing to expand its family ride services to children as young as 10, according to references discovered in the company’s latest iOS app.

Developers reportedly found references to a potential “Tween” feature that could allow adults to add children between the ages of 10 and 12 to their Uber Family profiles. The feature has not been officially announced, and Uber has not confirmed whether or when it could launch.

The discovery, first reported by Bloomberg, suggests Uber may be exploring a new category of rides for children who are too young for its existing teen-focused service.

Uber could introduce additional safety controls

References found in the app indicate that Uber may be considering additional safeguards for younger passengers.

Parents or guardians could potentially designate a trusted adult as a contact for the child during a trip. The feature may also require a responsible adult to be present at both the pickup and drop-off locations.

This would make the proposed service different from a regular ride booked for an adult. Instead, Uber appears to be considering a more controlled experience that gives parents greater oversight of the child's journey.

The additional safeguards could be particularly important for children aged 10 to 12, who may require more supervision than teenagers.

Uber already operates Uber for Teens, which is designed for passengers aged 13 to 17. The service includes features such as live trip tracking, audio recording during rides and restrictions on driver-passenger matching.

If the Tween feature launches, Uber would effectively extend its safety-focused approach to an even younger group.

Why Uber may be targeting younger passengers

The potential expansion addresses a growing challenge for parents: getting children to and from their daily activities.

Children between 10 and 12 may need transportation to school, sports, extracurricular activities, friends’ homes and other locations. Parents may not always have the time or flexibility to handle every trip themselves.

A service that allows parents to arrange transportation while maintaining control over the journey could therefore fill a gap in the family transportation market.

However, transporting a 10-year-old presents different challenges from transporting a 16-year-old.

Younger children may need help getting into and out of vehicles, confirming their destination or handling unexpected situations. This makes any requirement for adults to be present during pickup and drop-off particularly significant.

Safety will be the biggest test

Uber's potential expansion to younger passengers would also raise important safety questions.

The company would need to demonstrate how drivers are screened, how adults at pickup and drop-off are verified and what happens if the designated adult is unavailable.

There are also questions around emergencies and situations where a child becomes separated from the responsible adult.

These concerns are particularly important given the broader safety challenges ride-hailing platforms have faced. A service specifically designed for children would likely face an even higher level of scrutiny from parents and regulators.

For Uber, the challenge will be balancing convenience with safety measures that parents can trust.

What it could mean for Nigeria

A service like this could also have relevance in markets such as Nigeria, where parents often face difficult school transportation arrangements and concerns about children's safety while commuting.

In cities such as Lagos, long commutes and heavy traffic can make daily school runs particularly demanding. A properly supervised ride service could provide another transportation option for families.

However, any such service would need to account for local transportation conditions, driver verification, child-protection requirements and reliable communication between parents, drivers and designated guardians.

For now, the Tween feature remains unconfirmed. Uber has not announced the service or provided a launch timeline.

If the company eventually moves ahead with the idea, allowing children aged 10 to 12 to use the platform could significantly expand Uber's family transportation business—but only if it can convince parents that convenience does not come at the expense of safety.