US ride-hailing giant Uber Technologies has said it would roll out a feature that will allow users in India to book rides via messaging service WhatsApp.
The move could help Uber tap into the more than 500 million user base of Meta Platforms-owned WhatsApp in India.
“Starting this week, we are rolling out a new service that gives people the option to book an Uber ride via an official Uber WhatsApp chatbot,” Uber said in a blog post.
Uber has been operating in the Asian country for the past eight years and is now available in 100 cities.
“Riders will no longer need to download or use the Uber app. Everything from user registration, booking a ride, and getting a trip receipt will be managed within the WhatsApp chat interface,” Uber added.
WhatsApp users can book a ride through either messaging to Uber’s business account number, scanning a barcode, or clicking a link directly to open an Uber WhatsApp chat.
Riders will get the same safety features and insurance protections as those who book trips via the Uber app directly, the company said. The WhatsApp chat flow will inform the user about safety guidelines, including how to contact Uber in case of emergencies.
The feature will initially be launched in Lucknow, the capital of India’s most populous state Uttar Pradesh, and then expanded to other locations by next year.
The service will be available in English, Uber said, adding that Indian languages will be included in the near future.
The team at Platform Executive hope you have enjoyed the ‘[post_title]’ article. Automatic translation from English to a growing list of languages via Google AI Cloud Translation. Initial reporting via our official content partners at Thomson Reuters. Reporting by Rama Venkat in Bengaluru. Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips.
You can stay on top of all the latest developments across the platform economy, find solutions to your key challenges and gain access to our problem-solving toolkit and proprietary databases by becoming a member of our growing community. Platform Executive has two membership tiers, Community (FREE) and Premium ($195 per year), which offer different levels of access to our products and services.
