Urban Engines
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 | |
| Company type | Private (acquired by Google) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Data Analytics |
| Defunct | September 2016 |
| Fate | Acquired by Google |
| Headquarters | Los Altos, California, United States |
Key people | Shiva Shivakumar (Co-Founder and CEO) Balaji Prabhakar (Co-Founder & Chief Scientist) |
| Website | www.urbanengines.com |
Urban Engines was a data analytics startup based in Silicon Valley. It was acquired by Google in September 2016. It used data to give insight into cities and how people move around in them.[1] Founder and CEO Shiva Shivakumar says the company is mapping the "Internet of Moving Things," as quoted by the New York Times, which is a new way of mapping objects in motion.[2] The company's goal is to improve mobility in cities.[3]
Urban Engines has developed a new type of database, which maps objects in motion, called a "Space/Time Engine",[2] and currently has deals with cities like, Washington D.C., São Paulo and Singapore[4] as well as delivery and logistics companies.[1]
The company also released a commuter app with "mixed-mode routing,"[5] which evaluates different modes of transportation – walking, driving, public transit, and Uber – to give users the quickest routes.[5] The app is built on Urban Engines own proprietary mapping system.[3]