The federal Smart Cities and Communities Act, which was reintroduced recently, aims to help local governments implement smart city technologies, promote federal coordination of related programs, and authorize $200 million for smart city investments over five years. City officials say that collaborating on projects improves them, and this legislation would encourage national and international collaboration.
Aldine Independent School District in Houston has partnered with Microsoft on a program that tests internet-of-things-enabled school safety measures such as sensors and smart lighting. The pilot has mapped out school layouts for first responders, and the next phase is to use IoT sensors to track mechanical functions in the school.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is to vote May 22 on "an experimental underground people mover" from The Boring Co. that would use autonomous electric vehicles. A six-person committee has endorsed the Boring proposal, but authority Board of Directors member and Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman is wary of it, writing, "Now is not the time to experiment with an untested, unproven transportation system that will impact our region's most important industry."
City council members in Glasgow, Scotland, are aiming to make their city the first in the UK to become fully carbon-neutral with plans to decarbonize heating and transit, increase investment in local electricity infrastructure and add electrical vehicle charging points.
UK Future of Mobility Minister Jesse Norman said recently that self-driving vehicles and mobile apps could revolutionize everyday journeys for people with mobility issues -- and that new technologies must consider accessible mobility when developing future transport. The statement comes after the UK government in March released a document declaring that transit innovation must be accessible to enable independent travel.
"In the most optimistic scenario a reduction of 14% traffic is possible," states a new study on mobility services and autonomous vehicles. The study also found that traffic will get worse without ride-sharing.
