Uber is rolling out more than a half-dozen innovative features, including the ability to book vaccine appointments at Walgreens and reserve a ride to get their shot, as the company focuses on a business model that will finally deliver profitability.
The features, which were announced on Wednesday, are part of Uber's "go get" strategy. It is also intended to signal a return to more "normal" business operations after 14 months of shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Uber appeared to be a different company in early 2020, with a web of ventures that included air taxis and self-driving cars, delivery, ridesharing, a freight booking platform and shared e-bike and scooter rentals.
Uber has sold off its shared micromobility unit Jump, its autonomous air taxi business Uber Elevate, and its Uber ATG self-driving unit, as well as a stake in its logistics arm, Uber Freight, in the last year.
Uber Rent with Valet, which allows users in the United States to rent a car directly from the Uber app, is one of the new features. The vehicle is then delivered to the user, whether they are at home or at the airport. The company's Uber Reserve feature, which includes flight tracking, 60 minutes of wait time, and curbside pickup, is now being rolled out across the United States as well.
Uber has also incorporated a savings hub that will accentuate every eligible offer, deal, and discount available to users, as well as a new feature that provides delivery reminders through in-app notifications and an extension of its Eats Pass membership.
The ride-sharing service has partnered with empowerDX, a Framingham, Massachusetts-based at-home health testing company.
The tests were approved for emergency use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October 2020.
Customers in Austin, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Seattle, and Tampa can order the empowerDX kit without a prescription directly from the website.
