This week, the US government has announced a new Smart Cities Initiative that will invest over $160 million in federal research and leverage more than 25 new technology collaborations to help local communities tackle key challenges such as reducing traffic congestion, fighting crime, fostering economic growth, managing the effects of a changing climate, and improving the delivery of city services. The initiative has set out more than $35 million in new grants and over $10 million in proposed investments to build a research infrastructure for smart cities. And it promises nearly $70 million in new spending and over $45 million in proposed investments to unlock new solutions in safety, energy, climate preparedness, transportation, health and more. Funding for key business sectors include $11.5 million for cloud-based public safety, transportation and wellness apps, $50 million for emergency response technologies and $10 million to support research into technologies such as smart buildings and self-driving cars. The Obama […]