There is speculation that it’s more likely that this is intentional on Uber’s part, rather than a bug in the system. If a potential passenger opened up the app and saw no cars around, she might take another cab service. But if she saw a cluster of cars seemingly milling around on the same street, she’s more likely to request a ride.
When asked about this seeming discrepancy, an Uber spokesperson said that on the rider app, “The number of cars and their location are generally accurate.”
When Heather asked an Uber Help staff member, however, she was told that the rider map was just a “screen saver.”
“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.”
“I know this seems a misleading to you but it is meant as more of a visual effect more than an accurate location of drivers in the area. It would be better of you to think of this as a screen saver on a computer. Once a rider request a trip there will be actual information about the partners [sic] location showing up in the app."
