Australians should soon be able to tip Uber drivers as part of a raft of measures the ride sharing giant is rolling out to appease disgruntled drivers.
After months of turmoil that culminated in chief executive Travis Kalanick stepping aside indefinitely last week, Uber on Wednesday announced "180 days of change" to improve its driving conditions.
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Uber CEO takes leave of absence
Travis Kalanick takes time away from Uber, citing the need to grieve for his recently deceased mother.
The most significant change is that passengers will be able to tip drivers through its app.
Long called-for by drivers, the option will be available in the American cities of Seattle, Minneapolis and Seattle and rolled out the rest of the US by the end of the month, the company told drivers in an email.
It's understood Uber plans to introduce tipping and the rest of the new measures in Australia by the end of the year.
Uber, which has been valued at $US69 billion ($91 billion) — making it the world's most valuable private tech company — said the overhaul was "long overdue" and "the right thing to do".
"This is just the beginning," the company said in a statement. "We know there's a long road ahead, but we won't stop until we get there."
Uber's major US competitor Lyft allows tipping and Uber drivers have been pressuring the San Francisco-based company to follow suit.
Drivers will also be paid a cancellation fee if a passenger cancels their ride two minutes or more after booking it, down from five minutes.
Uber's Australian arm has also been trying to push back against a tide of negative sentiment against the company, particularly from drivers complaining of poor work conditions.
Earlier this month it made it possible for drivers to get paid for their work more quickly, and to receive fuel discounts of between 4¢ and 8¢ a litre at Caltex service stations.
Mr Kalanick, who co-founded Uber in 2009, stood aside last week citing the need to "work on Travis 2.0" before he could build "Uber 2.0".
It followed a string of scandals involving allegations of harassment, discrimination and an aggressive corporate culture.
That prompted a review that made 47 recommendations including creating a board oversight committee, writing new company values, offering less alcohol at work events and banning intimate relationships between employees and managers.