Whether it’s a trip to the supermarket, a doctor’s appointment, or catching the grandkids’ kapa haka performance, older New Zealanders will now find it even easier to get where they need to go. 

Uber is launching two new features, Senior Accounts and Simple mode, designed to help older Kiwis navigate the Uber app with greater ease, confidence and flexibility.

The new features mark another step in Uber’s efforts to improve mobility and provide accessible transport options for New Zealand’s ageing population. More than 900,000 Kiwis are now over 65, and that number is expected to exceed one million within the next five years. Yet many still face barriers to getting around – not because they don’t want to stay active and connected, but because the tools available aren’t easily accessible or don’t meet their needs.

Uber’s new features aim to change that. Simple mode is an industry-first, easy-to-use interface with larger text, fewer buttons, and easy-to-follow screens – making it simpler for seniors to personalise the app to better suit their needs and stay in control of their account, even without the help of a family member. At the same time, Uber is introducing a senior account available through Uber’s Family profile, where family organisers can support their loved ones with booking rides, managing payment methods, and receiving real-time trip updates – all from their own phone. Together, these new features work to help seniors stay active, mobile, and socially connected.

Emma Foley, Managing Director of Uber Australia & New Zealand, says the updates are about giving older Kiwis a better, simpler, and more user-friendly experience with technology.

“Movement is freedom. Whether it’s a weekly bridge game or a visit to whānau, older Kiwis should feel confident using the app to get where they’re going – without the stress or confusion that sometimes comes with technology,” says Emma.

“These updates were designed with simplicity and dignity in mind – to give older people more confidence, more independence, and a more user-friendly experience. We’re not asking people to adapt to the app – we’re adapting the app to them.”

Key features of Simple mode & senior account:

  • Simplified booking: Older adults can request rides using a simplified version of the app with larger text, fewer buttons, and easy-to-follow screens.
  • Saved places: Frequently visited locations – like home, the doctor, or a favourite store – can be saved by either the senior or their loved one for faster ride requests.
  • Flexible payment options: Seniors can use a family organiser’s card or their own for Uber rides.
  • Live trip tracking: To help keep loved ones in the know, the family organiser can follow along in the app with real-time updates and live trip tracking whenever their parent or grandparent requests a ride. 
  • Help when needed: Family organisers can step in when needed and book rides on their phone for the senior, edit saved places, have a three-way chat with the senior and driver or call drivers on the rider’s behalf at any time during the trip.

This new rollout is part of our broader mission to make Uber an accessible transportation solution to every stage of life – from teens taking their first solo ride, to Caregivers managing trips for their loved ones, to riders who prefer to book by using 0800 GO UBER, and now with Simple mode and senior account, helping older adults stay mobile and independent. 

The rollout of the new features has been welcomed by the country’s leading organisation supporting the wellbeing of older people, Age Concern New Zealand, who recognises the update as a meaningful step toward inclusive, everyday technology. 

“Age Concern New Zealand encourages older people and their families to think about how independence can be maintained as they transition to life without a car, which includes new ways to travel to attend events and occasions,” says Age Concern New Zealand Chief Executive, Karen Billings-Jensen.

 “Age Concern New Zealand is pleased to see Uber looking at the design of apps and services that give access and choice to older people”.  

Users without a senior account can also turn on the Simple mode feature in the Account section of the app.

How to set up a senior account:

  1. In the Uber app, a loved one invites an older adult to join their Family profile.
  2. The older adult gets a text with a link to download the app and create their account (if they don’t have the app already).
  3. From there, they can request rides on their own – or get help from family when needed.

Visit Uber’s dedicated page to find out more about senior account – with additional resources to make signing up for an Uber account easier.