Lyft Inc. is working on a new offering that would let teenagers use its rideshare service, according to details found in the latest release of the company's smartphone application. The planned Teen feature is designed to connect young passengers with drivers rated highly on the platform and to add multiple features intended to enhance safety and transparency for parents.
Among the protections Lyft plans to enable by default is PIN authentication, which requires riders to enter a code to confirm they are entering the correct vehicle. In addition, riders will be prompted to start audio recording automatically during trips. These measures are intended to provide an auditable record and an extra verification layer during the ride.
Parents would be given a link to follow their teen's trip in real time and to receive updates when the vehicle arrives for pickup and when the teen is dropped off. The parent-facing controls would also include the option to communicate directly with the driver if needed, offering more direct oversight throughout the journey.
In a statement provided to Bloomberg, Lyft CEO David Risher said the feature will match teens with drivers who meet the "highest standards" on the platform and will provide "transparency for parents every step of the way." The feature itself was discovered in Lyft's app code by Bloomberg News.
The initiative represents a notable shift in Lyft's policy. Until now, Lyft's rules prohibited minors from using its service unless accompanied by an adult. By contrast, Uber Technologies Inc. began permitting users aged 13 to 17 to access its rideshare and delivery platform in 2023.
The proposed Teen program also acknowledges a common behavior among parents: having rideshare vehicles ordered on their own accounts to transport children to and from activities such as after-school programs. The new feature appears to formalize that practice by enabling direct teen access under parent-supervised conditions.
Details found in the app code indicate Lyft is actively developing the functionality, but the discovery does not by itself confirm a public rollout timeline or availability across markets. The company has communicated the intended design and safety elements but the code-based finding is the primary source of information about the feature at this stage.