Partnership between Uber and Spotify puts customer in the driving seat for taxi music

Uber customers who use the Spotify streaming service can select their preferred musical choices when they book a car through the mini-cab firm’s mobile app

Uber Co-Founder & CEO Travis Kalanick and Spotify Founder & CEO Daniel Ek announced a new partnership enabling users to soundtrack their Uber ride (Getty)

Could this be the end for awkward small talk in taxis?

A new partnership between Spotify and Uber will allow passengers to drown out their drivers with personalised music soundtracks.

Uber customers who use the Spotify streaming service can select their preferred musical choices when they book a car through the mini-cab firm’s mobile app.

The tunes should already be playing on the speakers when the car arrives – offering a more personal welcome than talk radio or the ubiquitous Heart FM.

The “first-of-its-kind” product is available to Spotify Premium subscribers. Passengers can choose from one of Uber’s featured playlists or select their own Spotify collections. Playlists can be changed during a journey, depending on the passenger’s mood.

However, some Uber drivers have already expressed alarm that the new feature could reduce their customer ratings if the music doesn’t play as planned.

Drivers will need to plug their company phones into the car’s speakers via an auxiliary port, or passengers could connect their phones via bluetooth.

Artists including Professor Green and Diplo will take part in special Uber “ride-alongs” and play live sessions when the facility launches in 10 cities, including London, on Friday. The feature will be rolled out globally in the near future.