Google plans to have a hand in nearly everything nowadays, it seems. Their new proposal, Sidewalk Labs, is an intriguing direction.
The startup, based in New York City, would allow Google to brainstorm and implement technology to improve life for city residents by solving problems with traffic congestion, high rents, etc.
“While this is a relatively modest investment and very different from Google’s core business, it’s an area where I hope we can really improve people’s lives. A lot of urban challenges are interrelated — for example, availability of transportation affects where people choose to live, which affects housing prices, which affects quality of life. So it helps to start from first principles and get a big-picture view of the many factors that affect city life. Then, you can develop the technologies and partnerships you need to make a difference,” Google chief executive Larry Page wrote on Google+.
Former NYC deputy mayor Dan Doctoroff will run Sidewalk Labs as its CEO.
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