Uber launches ExpressMatch feature at Kolkata airport, first outside US, Canada

Uber India on Tuesday announced the launch of a new feature in the city airport that is first outside of the United States and Canada.

The feature, ExpressMatch, aims to reduce wait times and ensure seamless rider pick-ups at Kolkata airport by pre-staging a small number of vehicles at dedicated pickup points.

"After pilots across airports in the United States and Canada, Kolkata airport is the first in the world to implement Uber's innovative ExpressMatch technology," the company said in a statement.

ExpressMatch alerts a subset of drivers dynamic, intelligent dispatch tool to pre-stage their UberGo vehicles at preassigned pickup zones, instead of waiting in remote parking areas.

This helps to reduce the rider wait time to almost zero, the company said.

By ensuring riders get access to vehicles already pre-staged at the waiting zone, Uber hopes to reduce time spent by riders in lineups thereby facilitating social distancing and also improve pickup times during the festive season and beyond, Uber India said.