Uber launches tipping feature - would you tip your driver?

The ride-sharing app says the tipping feature has been popular in the United States and Britain. Photo / Getty

Uber has launched a tipping service in its ridesharing app.

From today, New Zealand and Australian users completing a ride can opt to tip their driver either $1, $3, $5 or up to $50 via the customisable option.

After rating the drive for the trip, the tipping option will appear.

The option will also appear on the Uber Eats app once an order is complete.

In an email sent to riders and blog post on its website, the San Francisco based company said the feature was a way to "say thanks for awesome service".

Uber's tipping feature has been live in the United States and Britain since 2017.

Lucas Groeneveld, head of driver for Uber Australia and NZ, said the feature had proven popular and was highly-requested by New Zealand drivers.

"We've been hearing a lot from drivers - this is basically their number one request," Groeneveld said.

"We've been listening to our riders and driver partners who have been telling us they want that feature to be able to say thanks to driver partners who go above and beyond."

New Zealand is not typically seen to have a tipping culture, especially compared to the United States which relies heavily on tips to subsidise hourly wages.

"Australia and New Zealand are probably more comparable to the UK, definitely than the US. In the UK [the feature] has been pretty popular.

"We've definitely heard there's demand for it here."

Uber was unable to provide insights on how many riders opt to tip their driver.

The tipping feature has also been rolled out to the Uber Eats app, with the same prescribed tipping options of $1, $3 and $5.

"In New Zealand hundreds of thousands of 5-star ratings are given every year and so this now provides that extra opportunity when you do provide a rating to also recognise that service with a tip," Groeneveld said.

Tipping a driver does not increase a rider's personal passenger rating.

Uber has updated a number of its policies and features in recent months, including rolling out an updated star rating system where drivers can rate passenger and an emergency call feature.

In November the ridesharing company launched its Driving Change Initiative to educate users on sexual misconduct and do's and don'ts inside a vehicle, which advised those who witnessed cases of sexual assault and violence on how to help the victim.

A month earlier it spelt out its rules on sex, firearms and vomiting.

Rules stated there must be no physical contact with the driver or fellow riders. Unwanted contact with the driver or fellow passenger after the trip is over and vomiting inside a vehicle could also get you kicked off the app.

Use of inappropriate and abusive language or gestures could also lead to a ban.

Uber says it has 485,000 active riders and 6500 active drivers in New Zealand.