Comparing the world’s biggest search-engine to that of a urban transport start-up may seem like a stretch, but the similarities between Google and Uber, two trailblazing companies, are unavoidable.

Both companies capitalised on changing technology – with Google jumping on the growth of broadband internet and Uber harnessing the power and convenience of smartphones, and their use of data and information is what makes them so successful.

Basically, there’s some serious over-achievers working at these places.

Uber’s algorithms, with help from dozens of in-house data wranglers, try to figure out urban traffic flows–trillions of bits that help them become even more accurate about where and when customers will pull out their phones and open Uber’s app, and where its cars are when that happens.

If Google’s primary weapons are relevancy and speed, then Uber’s are cost and speed. It not only has to get cars to customers faster, but it also has to do it at the lowest possible price. If Uber can get that right, it will surpass its competition–just as Google’s proficiency has kept us from searching elsewhere.

If you’ve been missing out on the transport revolution that is Uber, check them out here.

[source: Fast Co.]