Uber Technologies Inc. is expanding a women-only matching feature nationwide in the United States, allowing female riders and drivers to be paired together for trips.

The ride-hailing company had previously tested the feature in select markets as a pilot program. The expansion comes as the company seeks to address ongoing safety concerns on its platform.

Under the new feature, women riders can opt to be matched with female drivers, and women drivers can choose to accept rides only from female passengers. The matching system is designed to provide an additional safety option for women using the platform.

The rollout follows mounting concerns about safety incidents involving ride-hailing services. Uber and other ride-sharing companies have faced scrutiny over assault cases and other safety-related incidents reported on their platforms.

The company has implemented various safety measures over the years, including background checks for drivers, in-app emergency features, and ride tracking capabilities. The women-only matching option represents another step in the company's efforts to enhance passenger and driver safety.

Uber has not disclosed specific details about the timeline for the nationwide implementation or how the matching system will be integrated into the existing app interface.