Those cars you see in your area on the map when you open Uber might not be there at all.
At best case, the map that seems to show how many drivers are in your neighborhood appears to be really inaccurate. Worst case, the map is nothing more than a "screen saver" that represents absolutely nothing at all, according to an investigation published on Motherboard.
While the report stops far from offering a definitive answer as to whether the map is total B.S., it does quote a surprising email from an Uber Help staffer:
“The app is simply showing there are partners on the road at the time,” the staffer wrote in an email. “This is not a representation of the exact numbers of drivers or their location. This is more of a visual effect letting people know that partners are searching for fares.
Why would Uber do this? Some have speculated that people are more likely to go through with using Uber if they think there are many drivers nearby.
That could explain why the "phantom cars" appear to be so close to your pin on the map, but your wait time is so long for a driver to arrive.
An official spokesperson for Uber, however, told Motherboard that the map is generally accurate. Go figure.
