Google Better Cities

Google has a whole department solely dedicated to projects that it should do, not because they will turn a profit, but because they'll make the world better. In one such project, Googlers analyze map data to see how people move around a city, they scrub it to protect people's privacy, then they help the cities use those insights to make their transportation more efficient.

Working directly with city officials and local researchers means the most important local problems get solved first, and the cities run faster, cleaner, and better for all their citizens -- not just the Google users.