Of all the problems that 21st century life causes, getting into someone else’s Uber is up there with matching with a co-worker on Tinder, or accidentally opening someone’s Facebook message when you didn’t actually want to respond. Now Uber wants to help you avoid the awkwardness of getting into the wrong white Toyota Prius when you’re waiting for your ride—and prevent this kind of confusion from adding to wait times for everyone else.
On Dec. 2, Uber announced SPOT, a new color-coding system it’s testing in Seattle to show riders which Uber car is theirs. Uber drivers can now attach a lightsaber-shaped device to their windshield, which can light up in six colors. When riders request an Uber that has SPOT, they’ll be asked to choose a color; when the car shows up, the device will light up on the car. Riders can also light their screen up with their chosen color so their driver can easily pick them out in a crowd.
“When riders and drivers can easily find each other, we’re able to trim down wait times, which is a win for everyone,” Uber says.
Hopefully riders won’t choose the same color as anyone else also waiting for an Uber in the same area, or riders will be back where they started.