Uber has launched a feature allowing female drivers and passengers across the US to request trips with other women on the ride-hailing app.

The feature was piloted in the US last year and led to women feeling "more comfortable in the back seat" and "more confident behind the wheel", Uber said.

The rollout comes despite an ongoing class action lawsuit in California, filed by Uber drivers who argue the move discriminates against men.

Uber said around one-fifth of its drivers in the US are women, although the ratio varies by city.

Uber's Women Preferences was launched on Monday in response to women riders and drivers who told the firm they wanted "more control over how they ride and earn".

Women can reserve a trip with a woman driver in advance or set their preference in the app to increase the likelihood of being matched with a woman.

In cities where teen accounts are available, teens and their parents can also request women drivers.

Two California Uber drivers have accused the company of violating California legislation, by potentially giving female drivers access to a wider pool of passengers.

News agency AP reported that Uber has filed a motion to stop litigation and move the case to private arbitration, citing an agreement the drivers signed when joining the app.

In the motion, Uber disputed that its new feature violates the Unruh Act - which prohibits sex discrimination by businesses - and said it "serves a strong and recognized public policy interest in enhancing safety".

Ride-sharing app Lyft is also facing a discrimination lawsuit over its feature introduced in 2024 allowing riders and drivers to prioritise women and non-binary matches.

Last month, a US court ordered Uber to pay $8.5m (£6.2m) to a woman who said she was raped by a man driving for Uber in a legal ruling that could influence the outcome of thousands of other cases against the company.

Uber had argued that it should not be held liable for criminal acts by drivers using its platform, who it says are independent contractors and are subject to background checks as part of the vetting procedure.

The San Francisco-based company said it intended to appeal against the verdict.

Uber already offers the woman-matching option for drivers in more than 40 countries and for riders across seven countries, including Spain, Brazil and Saudi Arabia.