You could soon book an Uber with just a ring or a text

Cab aggregator Uber is planning to do away with the need of booking a cab using app and allowing customers to do so using calls and text messages.

It is also considering launching cab booking service via via popular social media or chat options like WhatsApp.

Apurva Dalal, Uber's head of engineering told ET that the company's R&D centre in Bengaluru is looking for ways that would allow users to book an Uber without using the app.

"In India and in other emerging markets, the application is not the only way to get an Uber, there are other ways in which we communicate in India - we call, we SMS, we WhatsApp," said Dalal.

He added that using these technologies, Uber aims to making cab booking simpler for customers, like elderly citizens, who are not tech savvy and may never download the app.

"We are looking at all these areas -be it people who don't want to download the app, who want to download the app but it has to be very light for them, people who are in poor network areas, and channels outside the app itself be it SMSs, chats, social media, etc," said Dalal.

Other than this, Uber also wants to tap users who are active on social media.

"WhatsApp is certainly very ubiquitous, so we are asking, is there a way to do something through any of these chatting channels or social network where they can book a ride directly," he added.