Lyft is finally catching up to its bigger rival. The rideshare company launched teen accounts nationwide today, more than two years after Uber rolled out the same feature in May 2023. CEO David Risher isn't apologizing for the delay, instead positioning Lyft's late entry as deliberate - the company wanted to perfect safety features and communication tools that set it apart in an increasingly competitive market where autonomous vehicles are reshaping the entire industry.
Lyft just handed parents a new way to get their teenagers around town - but it's hardly breaking new ground. The rideshare company officially launched teen accounts nationwide today, a feature that competitor Uber has been operating for more than two years.
CEO David Risher addressed the elephant in the room during the announcement, telling CNBC that the company "wanted to get it right" rather than rush to market. "We've been really thoughtful as we've talked to parents and teens to come up with a product that meets what they both want," he said.
The new program matches passengers between 13 and 17 with carefully vetted drivers who maintain high star ratings and haven't been blocked by a significant number of riders. Safety features include pin verification before rides begin, real-time tracking that parents can monitor, and automatic ride recordings. It's Lyft's attempt to differentiate in a market where Uber has already expanded teen accounts to more than 50 countries since launching the service in May 2023.
But the teen accounts launch is just one piece of a much larger strategic puzzle for Lyft. The company is simultaneously trying to expand its traditional rideshare business while navigating the seismic shift toward autonomous vehicles - a transformation that's threatening to upend the entire industry.
Bloomberg first reported last month that Lyft was working on the teen feature, prompting Risher to confirm on X that the rollout would hit hundreds of cities in early 2026. The timing comes as pushes into new markets through acquisitions, including its $200 million purchase of European taxi app Freenow last year and the acquisition of a global chauffeuring service.
