Uber is rolling out in-app messaging between drivers and riders

Uber announced Thursday morning the addition of an in-app chat. 

Now, riders can message drivers directly in the app to give them a better idea about where they're actually located or any roadblocks that might make for a difficult pickup.

Before this feature, Uber users simply had to stand around waiting until their driver arrived. Drivers could call the passenger with the phone number used on the account if they couldn't find them upon arrival, but it was often too cumbersome.

The new in-app messaging can be found at the bottom of the Uber feed. Just hit "contact" and then "chat" to start a conversation. The text is read out loud to your driver to avoid accidents caused by looking at their phone. Your driver can then tap the screen once to send a thumbs up emoji, letting you know they've seen the message. Read more...