Uber, WhatsApp launching ride-booking feature via the messaging app

You can now book an Uber ride via WhatsApp in India. Uber has partnered with Meta, formerly known as Facebook, to launch a ride-booking feature via WhatsApp in India.

This is a global-first feature for the popular ride-booking app and will dismiss the need for a standalone Uber app on your phone to book a cab. It will let users register on Uber, book a cab, and even get the trip receipt on WhatsApp itself, reported Beebom.

Booking a cab via the popular messaging application will be pretty easy and can be achieved in three different ways. Users can send a message to the Uber Business phone number (which hasn't been disclosed in the official blog post, for some reason), scan a QR code, or visit a link to open the Uber chat window in WhatsApp.

Once there, users can start booking cabs and get pick or drop locations, cab fare details, and more on the chat itself.

Talking about the partnership, Nandini Maheshwari, Senior Director, Business Development, Uber APAC said, "We want to make it as easy as possible for all Indians to take an Uber trip, and to do that we need to meet them on platforms they are comfortable with. We are thrilled at this global-first integration for Uber, and look forward to rolling it out across India."

As per Beebom, Uber on WhatsApp will also get the same features as available on the Uber app. Users can see the driver's name and more details on the chat, track the driver's location, and can even speak to the driver without revealing the phone number.

In case of an emergency, people can type 'help' and select the emergency option. Following this, they would get a call from Uber customer care to talk about the concern. Users can also get access to a safety line for 30 minutes after the ride is completed.

The functionality is currently available in English but is expected to be available in more Indian languages soon.

The feature is currently being tested as a pilot in North Lucknow and should be expanded to more cities in India (first to New Delhi) soon. The Uber cab WhatsApp chatbot is available for both new and existing Uber users who have registered with their phone numbers.

Apart from the new ride-booking feature, WhatsApp has added a host of features that allows users to get a lot done. It has allowed businesses to launch chatbots for people to order groceries, find COVID-19 vaccination slots, and more services.

( With inputs from ANI )