Design Problems/Ride-Sharing Matching Algorithm

Ride-Sharing Matching Algorithm

Hard
GeospatialReal-timeOptimization

High-Level Architecture

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Design the core matching system for a ride-sharing platform (like Uber/Lyft) that optimally pairs ride requests with available drivers in real-time. The system must minimize passenger wait time, minimize driver idle time, maximize platform revenue, and handle dynamic supply-demand imbalances across geographic areas.

Clarifying Questions

  • Scale? (20M rides/day, 5M active drivers, 100M riders)
  • Matching latency? (< 5 seconds from request to driver assignment)
  • Do we support ride pooling? (Yes — multiple passengers sharing a ride)
  • Geographic scope? (Global, 1000+ cities)
  • Dynamic pricing? (Yes — surge pricing during high demand)