Skip to main content

‘Overwhelming response’ to USDOT Smart City Challenge

Medium-sized cities across the US have submitted applications for the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) Smart City Challenge. According to US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, 77 cities from Reno to Rochester and Anchorage to Albuquerque have applied to enter the competition, which seeks to create an innovative, fully integrated model city that uses data, technology and creativity to shape how people and goods move in the future. The USDOT will award the winning city up to US$40 million to imp
February 9, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Medium-sized cities across the US have submitted applications for the 324 US Department of Transportation (USDOT) Smart City Challenge. According to US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, 77 cities from Reno to Rochester and Anchorage to Albuquerque have applied to enter the competition, which seeks to create an innovative, fully integrated model city that uses data, technology and creativity to shape how people and goods move in the future.

The USDOT will award the winning city up to US$40 million to implement bold, data-driven ideas that make transportation safer, easier, and more reliable. Additionally, Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Inc. intends to award up to US$10 million to the challenge winner to support electric vehicle deployment and other carbon emission reduction strategies, while Mobileye announced that it would outfit the entire fleet of the winning city's public bus system with its Shield + driver-assistance safety technology.

Applicants from cities across the country were asked to include a range of innovations and data-driven platforms to anticipate and address community needs. Specifically, the USDOT is looking at how to integrate multiple innovations such as automated vehicles, the sharing economy, and other technologies into a network that connects people to their intelligent transportation system.

Five finalists will be announced at SXSW in Austin on 12 March. These finalists will each receive US$100,000 to hone their proposals and develop applications for the final selection process scheduled for June 2016. Vulcan will work with the USDOT to assist the five finalist cities with technical guidance and other support in keeping with its commitment to leverage technology, investments, and philanthropy to drive a low-carbon future.

UTC

Related Content

  • September 14, 2023
    Qualcomm: How Connected Driving Will Reduce Emissions in the EU
    In an era marked by climate change and an urgent need for greener mobility solutions, the advent of connected driving has emerged as a promising frontier in the realm of transportation.
  • August 4, 2017
    Funding boost for London’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure
    Transport for London (TfL), London Councils and the Greater London Authority (GLA) have announced funding of almost US$6 million (£4.5 million) to London boroughs to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure on London’s streets. A total of 25 boroughs, each receiving up to US$394,000 (£300,000), will install up to 1,500 standard-speed on-street charging points in residential areas, as part of Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s long-term vision for zero-carbon transport in the Capital another step closer.
  • February 25, 2016
    System predicts train delays and informs response
    David Crawford looks into the near-term future for Stockholm’s rail commuters. Swedish rail operator Stockholmståg, which runs commuter services in and around the country’s capital, is claiming a world first with the introduction of its automated Pendelprognosen (commuter prognosis) service. Developed to enable the prediction of delays as much as two hours before they are likely to occur, this offers the operator the scope for much earlier remedial action than previously - for example by filling in the expe
  • December 7, 2021
    Here are the ITS America Awards finalists
    The Best of ITS and Best of Mobility on Demand (MOD) finalists have been selected by a distinguished panel and now the winners will be judged LIVE - by you, the attendees!