The Success Story of Quicko (Brazil) and Google Maps Platform

THE ORGANISATION

Quicko is a Brazilian Big Data and smart mobility start-up which is transforming the routine of those who commute.

Its first product is an application of intermodal command sequences which brings comfort to the journey of more than 24 million people who are travelling today in the Metropolitana Region of São Paulo.

In the application, Quicko integrates different modes of transport, including underground, bus, shared bikes, driving applications, etc., so that users can design cheaper, faster or more comfortable routes. Through real time data, it also enables its customers to make the best decisions according to the time and circumstances.

THE CHALLENGE

In the context of a city like São Paulo, where there are thousands of options for moving around, both public and private, a series of questions necessarily arises: Which is the best solution at the moment to reach my final destination? Which is the fastest? Which is the cheapest?

THE SOLUTION

The technologies that enable information to be shared in real time have a great potential to improve the user’s commuting experience. This is an important part of Quicko’s business model, so it was essential to find a system that would allow not just one application, but a whole commercial strategy.

So, the Brazilian startup has launched an urban mobility application, where it offers the best route options, combining the customer’s preferred transport, for an easier, more intelligent and more convenient journey.

Intelligence Partner, strategic partner

With the growth of Quicko, the need to have a partner it could trust from the beginning was essential!

Intelligence Partner, as a Premier Partner of Google, was the company chosen for this association. With extensive experience in geolocation and in Google Maps Platform, Intelligence Partner made its experience and the strategic advantages available to Quicko.

THE RESULTS

The smart options of the APIs help Quicko’s application to offer the best route solutions to its users.

Some of the APIs used are:

• Autocomplete (Google Places API): it offers predictions based on the search location, anticipating the full record of the address. This address validation system reduces the margin of error in the search and, therefore, the margin for abandoning the app.

After completing the search, the map will display the points of interest. This is possible thanks to APIs:

• JavaScript (Google Maps API): enables the viewing of the map itself. Using this API, we can view any result obtained through the Google Maps APIs that we want to implement.

• Geocoding (Places API): geocoding is the process of turning addresses into geographical coordinates that can be used to organise markers or positions on the map.

Finally, to provide an estimate of the travel time, the following API is used:

• Directions (Routes API): calculates the distance and time to go from point A to point B and displays the optimal travel route.