Skip to main content

Seven finalist cities for US Smart City Challenge announced

After what he called an ‘overwhelming response’, US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has announced seven finalists for the US Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Smart City Challenge. The USDOT has pledged up to US$40 million to one city to help it define what it means to be a Smart City and become the country’s first city to fully integrate innovative technologies – self-driving cars, connected vehicles, and smart sensors – into their transportation network. The finalists are: Austin, Texas;
March 15, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
After what he called an ‘overwhelming response’, US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has announced seven finalists for the 324 US Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Smart City Challenge.

The USDOT has pledged up to US$40 million to one city to help it define what it means to be a Smart City and become the country’s first city to fully integrate innovative technologies – self-driving cars, connected vehicles, and smart sensors – into their transportation network.

The finalists are: Austin, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Denver, Colorado; Kansas City, Missouri; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Portland, Oregon; and San Francisco, California, who will each get US$100,000 to further develop their proposals.

“The level of excitement and energy the Smart City Challenge has created around the country far exceeded our expectations,” said Secretary Foxx. “After an overwhelming response – 78 applications total – we chose to select seven finalists instead of five because of their outstanding potential to transform the future of urban transportation.”

The winner will be announced in June and will receive up to UAS$50 million, including US$10 million from launch partner, Paul G. Allen’s Vulcan to support electric vehicle deployment and other carbon emission reduction strategies.

Other partners that have already joined the Smart City Challenge include 4279 Mobileye, 2184 Autodesk and 5460 NXP.

Related Content

  • January 12, 2017
    USDOT announces new Federal committee on automation
    The US Department of Transportation is establishing a new advisory committee focused on automation across a number of modes. The committee, which includes leading professionals and experts, will immediately begin work on some of the most pressing and relevant matters facing transportation today, including the development and deployment of automated vehicles, and determining the needs of the Department as it continues with its relevant research, policy, and regulations. “During my time at the Department,
  • April 16, 2021
    Ohio steps up Covid jab transit
    Central Ohio Transit Authority has delivered 16,300 passes to non-profits for vaccine visits
  • December 7, 2016
    Transportation research funding awarded to US universities
    US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has announced US$300.3 million in grants to 32 university Transportation Centers (UTCs) to advance research and education programs that address critical transportation challenges facing the country. The announcement includes awards of up to US$72.5 million for fiscal year (FY) 2016. Subsequent awards using federal fiscal years 2017-2020 funding will be made annually, subject to availability of funds and grantee compliance with grant terms and conditions. “Our n
  • May 1, 2015
    Countdown to 2015 ITS America Annual Meeting & Expo
    There’s less than a month to go before the 2015 ITS America Annual Meeting & Expo gets under way in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania gets underway in what will be a unique and visionary event. The theme is Bridges To Innovation so for the more than 2,000 of the nation’s top transportation and technology business leaders and investors, policymakers, public agency representatives, and researchers, this will be one of the most forward looking Annual Meetings.