Sounds like pedestrian push-buttons on crossings - satisfies people but it doesnt actually do anything.
Also of course outside of a junction the control system has no reason to stop the vehicular traffic if nobody demands to cross. So even in the middle of the day the only reason somebody who refuses to press the button can ever cross is that other people will press the button.
There's also placebo buttons in many offices for aircon/heating.
Maybe there are the ones that dont work, somewhere, but there are also the one ones that do.