Facebook has teamed up with Uber to let you order a ride and share your ride status with friends from inside of Messenger. Leveraging Uber's API, Messenger users can now sign up for Uber and request a ride with one tap inside of Messenger. The partnership may seem a bit odd at first glance, but there are some scenarios in which Uber says the integration will come in handy:

  • Meeting a loved one for dinner? Send them the restaurant location on Messenger, and they can request a ride there by simply tapping on the address.

  • Running late for a work meeting? Share your current Uber trip with coworkers through Messenger so they know exactly when you'll arrive.

  • Picking up friends in your Uber on the way to a concert? Request in Messenger and your friends will know when to be outside to jump into the Uber.

To use Uber in Messenger, you can either tap the car icon or select "Transportation" from the ellipses menu inside of any conversation. Current users can connect their existing Uber accounts, while new users will be able to sign up for an account "in a matter of seconds." As a bonus, Uber says that your first ride from Messenger is free up to $20.

Uber says that you should have access to ordering a car after you download and install the latest messenger, but we aren't yet seeing the option on our end, so it might take a bit to show up.

Source: Uber