The winner of the Smart City Challenge will be announced this month.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced it will provide up to $40 million to one city’s “Smart City” efforts, fully integrating innovative technologies into its transportation network–from self-driving and connected vehicles to smart sensors.
The seven finalists selected in April from a pool of 78 applicants received a $100,000 grant to further build their final proposals. Finalists include:
- Pittsburgh
- Columbus, Ohio
- Austin
- Denver
- San Francisco
- Portland, Ore.
- Kansas City, Mo.
The challenge has two phases: a high-level overview of how each city plans to tackle its transportation challenges, and a detailed road map on integration and the future of transportation in action. Each city must also demonstrate how its plan will spread across all demographics to ensure all citizens can experience the benefits of a “Smart City.”