Ride-hailing app Uber introduced its new carpooling app in Jakarta, capital city of Indonesia, its first launch of the service in Southeast Asia.

UberPool allows users to share rides and split the fare with other commuters.

One of the aims of the app is to help reduce the number of vehicles on the streets, said Uber Asia Pacific regional manager Mike Brown, noting that 6,000 new vehicles take to Jakarta’s streets every day, the Jakarta Post reported.

Brown said that he was not concerned about new government regulations as it is obtaining the required permits with its partner, Jasa Trans Usaha Bersama cooperative. The government has set a deadline of 31 May for ride-sharing firms to obtain permits to operate a transportation business legally, the Post said.

Uber and rival Grab (previously know as GrabTaxi) have faced challenges from the government over their debatable legal status.

The carpooling announcement comes just days after Google expanded its ride-sharing business with the launch of the Waze Rider app that lets people carpool.

Uber first launched its taxi-hailing service in Indonesia in August 2014 and operates in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya and Bali.

It has been pushing aggressively ahead in Asia, announcing expansion plans last month in Indonesia and India, in the face of regulatory setbacks and rising competition.

The company recently introduced its motorcycle taxi service – UberMoto — in Indonesia as well as Thailand and Vietnam.