Uber now lets you follow family members’ rides in real-time … if they don’t mind

Uber has just released a safety-focused update for its Family Profiles feature. Rolled out on Tuesday to users around the world, Trip Tracker lets you follow a family member’s ride in real time so you’ll know exactly how the journey is progressing.

“Whether you have a spouse traveling for work, a daughter heading home from college, or a parent going to a doctor’s appointment – ensuring your loved ones are taken care of when you’re not together extends beyond just covering the cost of a ride,” Uber said in a post announcing the feature, adding, “So, the next time one of your family members is headed out, you’ll know when they are on their way, which route they are taking, and when they’ve arrived.”

Of course, it could also be a useful way to find out exactly when your partner’s going to walk through the door, handy if you’re prepping dinner … or watching a TV show when you should be doing something more productive.

Trip Tracker sends a notification to the family account’s creator whenever a listed member starts a ride. Tapping the notification takes you to a map so you can follow the ride’s progression toward its destination.

Don’t like the idea of being automatically tracked? In that case, you’ll have to remove yourself as a member of Family Profiles.

Family Profiles, which launched in March, lets up to 10 members share a single payment method. Oh, and you don’t actually have to be related – Uber lets you decide who’s family.

The company describes the service as a way “to help loved ones, friends, or coworkers get where they want to go while you foot the bill,” which sounds pretty darn great (if you’re the one who’s not paying, that is).