Real-time driver location and matching

DesignHard50 minUber and DoorDash style

Your task

Design the real-time location and matching backend for a ride/delivery platform. Millions of drivers stream GPS updates every few seconds; on a ride request you must find nearby available drivers within ~1s, then track the matched pair's live locations to the rider's app. Hot zones (a stadium letting out) create extreme local density. Updates are high-volume writes; proximity queries are latency-critical reads.

It covers

  • Geospatial matching
  • Proximity
  • Live location