Google Maps getting improved location analytics thanks to Urban Engines acquisition

Google is no stranger to acquisitions, and their latest purchase makes company Urban Engines part of the Maps team. But what is the purpose of this merger?

Urban Engines has been collecting location-based analytics data since 2014. They then use this information to help governments and organizations around the globe improve transportation and urban mobility.

The exact details are a bit scarce. We don’t know the financial terms. We don’t even know what Google Maps really wants to do with this information, or how it could improve the product itself. Urban Engines only mentions the plan is to “help organizations”. Chances are this will also improve navigation, though.

Today, we’re excited to share the next phase of our journey — Urban Engines is now a part of the Google Maps team! Location analytics is an important focus for both Urban Engines and Google, and we’re excited to combine forces to help organizations better understand how the world moves. There’s a lot we look forward to building together, and we can’t wait to show you what’s next.

We suppose we will see how this relationship evolves with time. The guys at Google will be working their magic for now. But tell us – what do you think Google will do with Urban Engines?