WHEN A PASSENGER in search of a taxi orders an Uber, all it takes is a few taps on a smartphone to make a car appear, as if by magic. Traffic permitting, they are soon whisked to their final destination. But the magic tricks do not end there. As soon as that screen is pressed, the passenger—along with all of Uber’s other riders, drivers and the systems that connect them—becomes part of a comprehensive digital replica of the firm’s inner workings.


