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Uber's driver app now serves the hearing impaired

More often than not, most features released by Uber are designed for its customers, not drivers. Today, though, the ridesharing firm is making some changes to help a specific group of people behind the wheel: those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. These updates, planned in tandem with the National Association of the Deaf, lets drivers access an Uber Partner app that offers tools created particularly for the hearing impaired. For example, contractors are now able to modify their app to have the flashlight turn on when a trip's being requested, along with the existing audio notification. They can also set it so that riders receive a message directly on the Uber app, prompting them to enter a destination or to provide special instructions for a pick-up.

Uber's currently testing this in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, DC, but the company says a broader rollout will be happening "soon."