Uber yesterday announced SPOT, a new initiative to make sure drivers and riders experience less hassle finding one another in dark or crowded areas. The technology will allow someone calling for an Uber to designate a specific color so that their driver can easily spot them when arriving at the pickup location.

uber spot

SPOT is the latest experiment in our ongoing effort to make Uber pickups as seamless as possible. When riders and drivers can easily find each other, we’re able to trim down wait times, which is a win for everyone. We hope you’ll have a chance to experience SPOT in the coming weeks.

Beginning exclusively in Seattle, the new program will give Uber drivers a small "SPOT Device," attached to their windshield. When a user requests a SPOT-enabled vehicle, they're asked to pick a specific color within the app while waiting. When the app prompts the rider that the vehicle is driving up, they can take the app out and display their color to the driver, or simply look for their chosen color in the windshield of the car.

The company didn't give any mention if, or when, SPOT would make it to other cities after its test run in Seattle. Those that have yet to do so can download Uber from the App Store for free [Direct Link].

Tag: Uber

Top Rated Comments

Zelmung Avatar
131 months ago
Pretty cool. Last year a girl got in a car she thought was her uber here at Indiana university. She ended up dead and her body was thrown by the lake. This could have prevented that. Good to see uber taking safety precautions
That escalated quickly.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kgee102605 Avatar
131 months ago
Still not interested in Uber. Too much to worry about for too little savings. My life, safety, and security is worth more than saving 2 to 3 bucks for a ride to the airport.

At least if something happens, I can go after the cab company.
I wish people who don't understand how the insurance thing works with Uber would keep their mouth shut instead of spreading lies and rumors.

Here is how it works if you would like to educate yourself. Personal drivers HAVE personal insurance per State law that covers their vehicle and it does 365 days per year just like everyone else on the planet....

Now, whenever they turn the app on and are "working"?? Then Uber's commercial vehicle insurance policy of $1 million applies (and Lyft's policy is the same $1 million coverage too.. its required by the cities and the States you see???).....and covers the vehicle and the passengers.

When the app is off... coverage drops back to the individual drivers' personal insurance. Which is the same insurance that he/she drives around the city everyday with anyway.. No difference.. so if you are worried about a driver hitting you? They could do that quite simply without having a passenger or driving for Uber and it would be exactly the same.

NO personal insurance company is going to cover someone while driving for Uber (that part you at least got right)... however, they DON'T HAVE TO.. because Uber's commercial policy does!! Why? Because it is required by the City and State laws. So to say that Uber and Lyft drivers DO NOT have insurance? Is completely false and nothing more than a similar scare tactic and lie usually spread by butt hurt taxi drivers and/or republican types. It's nearly 2016, technology and the world evolves. Time to get over it and move on. :) And for crying out loud if you've got something to say? Do your research so you at least KNOW the facts and don't sound like a complete idiot. ~Cheers
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mbh1976 Avatar
131 months ago
This is cool, but how about the app just telling me what color the car is that is picking me up?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
snebes Avatar
131 months ago
This is essential in places like SF where ever car is an uber and every uber is a white or silver Prius. I've personally stepped in the wrong uber a bunch of times


South Park, always ahead of the times.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BruiserB Avatar
131 months ago
Yeah, this will make it way easier--with only 6 colors--for nefarious people to stick a similar light in their car and just put up one of the 6 colors. Go cruise down a popular bar area in a major city and just wait for a drunk chick to flag their car down.
It's meant to be a way to quickly pick the car out of a sea of cars. Then you still have the make, model, and license plate info in your app to verify that it is the right car. It's not a substitute for verifying you have the right car. Also the driver should know your name and if they don't you shouldn't get in.

I drive for Über X on weekends and it's fun and interesting. Thanks to those who are quashing the "Über is so scary/unsafe" hysteria. I've had so many passengers tell me how much they like Über because they know who to expect and know the car will come on time, etc. We are insured for $1 million while a passenger is in the car. A passenger can even send a link from the app to a friend so the friend can see their location/progress while they are on the ride, enhancing security further. What cab company offers that?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
unplugme71 Avatar
131 months ago
Still not interested in Uber. Too much to worry about for too little savings. My life, safety, and security is worth more than saving 2 to 3 bucks for a ride to the airport.

At least if something happens, I can go after the cab company.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Adds New Evidence for Under-Display Face ID

Monday December 8, 2025 4:54 am PST by
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker. According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds Second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Monday December 8, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate version of iOS 26.2 to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming one week after Apple seeded the first RC. The release candidate represents the final version iOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found. Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Johny Srouji

Apple's Chipmaking Chief Johny Srouji Responds to Report About Him Potentially Leaving

Monday December 8, 2025 9:23 am PST by
Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has reportedly indicated that he plans to continue working for the company for the foreseeable future. "I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," said Srouji, in a memo obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Here is Srouji's full memo, as shared by Bloomberg:I know you've been reading all kind of rumors and...
Johny Srouji

Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Sunday December 7, 2025 10:41 am PST by
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
google pixel 10

Switching Between iPhone and Android Will Get Easier With New Apple and Google Collaboration

Monday December 8, 2025 11:10 am PST by
Apple and Google are teaming up to make it easier for users to switch between iPhone and Android smartphones, according to 9to5Google. There is a new Android Canary build available today that simplifies data transfer between two smartphones, and Apple is going to implement the functionality in an upcoming iOS 26 beta. Apple already has a Move to iOS app for transferring data from an Android...
Apple Fitness Plus expansion hero

Apple Fitness+ Coming to 28 New Regions With Digital Voice Dubbing

Monday December 8, 2025 6:19 am PST by
Apple today announced that Fitness+ is expanding to 28 new markets on December 15 in the service's largest international rollout since launch, accompanied by new language dubbing and a K-Pop music genre. Apple Fitness+ will become available in Chile, Hong Kong, India, the Netherlands, Singapore, Taiwan, and additional regions on December 15, with Japan scheduled to follow early next year....
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...