With poor public transport and jammed roads, cars are a status symbol in Brazil – and the more powerful, the better. And with 46 million cars, there's nearly one for every four people. But why do people dream of buying a SUV if they'll only drive it to the shop round the corner?

Scraping together change for even a bus ride is sadly an everyday occurrence for many. Proving that our desire to 'give something back' isn't waning, in Brazil, posters at bus stops collects commuters spare change so the less well-off can get afford to pay for a journey.

As Brazil's emerging middle class continues to rise, consumer habits are changing. A recent survey has indicated a shift in travel habits - with a substantial fall in the number of long-haul bus travellers, and a rise in the number of those choosing to travel by plane.

Congestion in cities is a global problem. There are roughly 4 million vehicles in Bangalore, and the average worker in London spends around 227 hours a year commuting. Using crowdsourced data, Urban Engines is helping cities to become smarter, less congested and more efficient.