Uber Rolls Out 'Uber Comfort' to Give Passengers More Control

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Uber launched its newest service, Uber Comfort, on Tuesday, allowing customers to request extra legroom, a specific car temperature, and other amenities right in the app.

“Whether you're transporting visiting family or in need of a little extra legroom after a long plane ride, Uber Comfort aims to provide you with an option for an elevated ride experience,” the company said in a statement.

Comfort will appear as its own category choice inside the app alongside Uber X, Uber Pool, Uber Black, Uber XL, and Uber SUV. The Verge reported that the new service falls somewhere between Uber X and Uber Black. It will be a fancier — but not the fanciest — service the company offers.

Uber Comfort comes just a few months after Uber began offering its “quiet mode” service. When that particular service is activated by a user, the driver will be alerted that the rider would rather not make chit chat on their ride. According to TechCrunch, some saw the new button as offensive to drivers — however, according to an Uber spokesperson, the added service is a big hit.

“The reception to Quiet Mode has been generally positive among drivers and riders,” an Uber spokesperson told TechCrunch. “Riders appreciate the consistency and control they have over the type of their travel; business travelers, in particular, have shared how rider preferences have helped them be more productive en route to the airport, important meetings, or other work-related destinations.”

Both quiet mode and the new Comfort level not only allow riders to customize their experience but also allows Uber to charge just a bit more. In turn, that means it can better compensate its drivers for an improved user experience.

Uber Comfort is now available in 40 markets around the nation including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, D.C., Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, as well as in the entire state of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Jersey. Check your app to see if it's offered in your city.

You Can Now Earn Hilton Honors Points Every Time You Ride Lyft

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Starting Tuesday, May 14, Hilton Honors and Lyft are teaming up to give their customers a chance to earn more rewards points than ever before.

How exactly can you start earning points? First, link your Hilton Honors and Lyft accounts on HiltonHonorsLyft.com. As soon as you finish a ride, you’ll get double the points for every dollar spent on shared Lyfts, and three times the points for every dollar spent on economy, luxury, and extra seats.

The partnership gives Hilton Honors members an opportunity to rack up points — and the resulting rewards — even faster.

Related: Hilton Is Launching the Hotel Brand of Business Travelers' Dreams

Lyft has a similar partnership with Delta Air Lines that allows people to earn one mile per dollar on rides within the U.S., and two miles for any cars booked from the airport.

“Our vision is for Lyft to be the most convenient and rewarding travel option for our riders and having a top tier hospitality partner, in addition to our current airline partnerships, brings us one step closer,” said David Baga, Lyft’s chief business officer. “We are always seeking to provide the best rider experience and often look to leading category partners to help deliver a great hospitality experience.”

Hilton Honors member benefits range from late checkout to free hotel nights to special offers (like tickets to the Grammy's).

The timing of the new partnership couldn’t be better with summer right around the corner, so here's your reminder to get traveling.

Google Assistant Will Now Let You Hail a Car Just by Asking

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Even if you aren’t a top-level executive, you can still have a personal assistant. It may be in your pocket and it may not be human, but it’s getting a bit smarter every day.

Google Assistant — which is available for iPhone, Android, and the Google Home — can now call you a car.

If you say “Hey Google, get me a taxi to Los Angeles International Airport,” the assistant will show a list of ride services — including Uber, Lyft, Ola and several others — along with estimated prices and wait times. (You can also override this step by saying “Hey Google, book an Uber to the airport.”) Select the ride service and the app will open to confirm the ride.

The feature will be especially useful when you’re running late, with no free time to spare to compare rides. Being able to see all wait times and prices in one place without having to switch back and forth between apps could be the difference between you making it on time to the meeting or walking in sheepishly late.

Google Assistant is becoming a nifty hands-free way to plan your vacation. The assistant can teach you a foreign language, find you flight options, and help you pack with information about the weather. Earlier this year, Google introduced a feature that allows Assistant to book restaurant reservations and salon appointments.