Uber is making it easier to get picked up at your exact location

Anyone who has taken more than a few Uber rides will know how complicated things can be when you need to be picked up in a busy, unfamiliar location. A call from the driver is all but guaranteed as they attempt to find your precise location while you look out through a field of cars in hopes of spotting your driver. Now Uber is back with an update to help address this issue.

When a rider orders a car, the app may place their pin near their location, but not exactly in the right spot — for example, it ends up in the middle of the street for some people. Uber has updated its rider and driver apps so that drivers will now get more descriptive information about their rider's location, as well as a notification about which side of the street they're on.

For example, Uber says that rather than giving drivers a generic address to retrieve the rider, they'll start seeing more descriptive instructions that include things like specific stores, helping the driver figure out more precisely where the customer is located. Likewise, the app will be able to account for the rider continuing to walk to their pickup location in applicable instances.

In addition, Uber says it is addressing some of the navigation struggles drivers have reported. The updated drive app enables drivers to view and choose from alternative routes that may be faster or shorter in distance. The company says that it is likewise working on traffic-based rerouting to help drivers avoid the more congested routes.

Beyond that, drivers now have the option to change their navigation provider directly within Uber's app, meaning they can use the service they prefer. The rider retains the ability to follow the route with their own phone to keep tabs on where they're going.