Google X--, Google Y (2.0) "Smart Cities"

Founder Sebastian Thrun left Google X in August, now serves solely as an advisor | 9to5Google:

"Google X founder and Google VP Sebastian Thrun decided to leave his position last month, according to a change on his LinkedIn page picked up by TechCrunch. As confirmed by Google earlier today, Thrun will remain in an advisory role only at Google.

Thrun was a driving force behind the company’s efforts to build an automated car and also previously headed up the Google Glass project. However, both projects have since been passed to other leaders."

Google X old hat, thinks Larry Page – proposes Google Y for even bigger challenges | 9to5Google 

"A little over a year ago, Google CEO Larry Page convened his direct reports, the company’s dozen or so senior vice presidents, for a project that would take up two days a week for a couple of months. About 100 other employees below the SVP rank also participated in the effort, dubbed Google 2.0 …

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What sort of problems would Project Y tackle? A more efficient airport design is one idea that has been mooted, and another is the slightly more ambitious idea of a completely new approach to how cities work."


Future Cities and Smart Technologies: A Landscape of Ambition and Caution: Special Theme @ ERCIM