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Cities across the globe are installing technology to gather data in the hopes of saving money, becoming cleaner, reducing traffic, and improving urban life. Digital Trends regularly examines how smart cities deal with everything from energy management, to disaster preparedness, to public safety — and most importantly, what it all means for you.

New York World's Fair — Unisphere & Flag Display

World’s Fair 2.0: The mission to resurrect the greatest tech expo of all time

The World's Fair was a technology expo that sparked the world's imagination in a way that no other has. It's time to resurrect it
amtrak proposes a 94 minute train ride from new york to dc next gen high speed rail

It’s high time for the U.S. to build a high-speed rail network

united airlines to order 200 flying taxis for airport trips archer evtol aircraft

United Airlines to order 200 flying taxis for airport trips

teflon water supply dangerous faucet

Hacker tries to poison the water supply of a Florida city

google is planning to test drones for fighting fires firefighting

Google is planning to test drones for fighting fires

watch virgin hyperloops envisioned passenger experience hyperloop pod

Watch video of Virgin Hyperloop’s vision for its ultrafast transportation service

An Amazon Echo on a table in between a few books and a coffee mug.

Alexa can estimate how much electricity smart home devices consume

View of a street in Tucson with the lights set to 30 and 90 percent illumination

Smart streetlights could help control the problem of light pollution

gm cruise to test fully driverless cars in san francisco

GM Cruise given nod to test fully driverless cars in San Francisco

watch americas first ever firefighting robot in action

Watch America’s first firefighting robot in action

peek inside amazons newly unveiled electric delivery truck amazon

Check out Amazon’s newly unveiled electric delivery truck

waymo expands its driverless robotaxi service to more riders app

Waymo opens its fully driverless robotaxi service to more riders

Original Series
mercedes benzs first e scooter is rugged and foldable merc 2

Mercedes-Benz rolls into micromobility market with foldable e-scooter

Mercedes-Benz has launched its first electric scooter, a rugged two-wheeler with a top speed of 12 mph and a 15-mile range.
yale smart delivery box keeps your packages safe yaledeliverybox kent headon  1

Yale wants to keep your possessions safe with new smart delivery box, lock

With porch piracy on the rise, Yale has launched the Smart Delivery Box, a secure way to store your packages. For cabinets, there's the Yale Smart Cabinet Lock.
ring always home cam autonomous flying camera news specs price alway connect 2 of 3

Watch Amazon’s new Ring security drone take on a burglar in first ad

Amazon's new Ring security drone flies from room to room to check if your home is safe. An ad from the company imagines how a burglar might react to it.
avis ai technology scans rental cars for damage busy night highway

California will ban the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035

By 2035, all new vehicles sold in California must be zero-emission, according to a new executive order Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on Wednesday.
man checking phone with mask on

Google Maps will now show coronavirus outbreaks in your area

The tool shows how many new confirmed coronavirus cases there have been in an area in the last seven days.
Drone Zone

U.K. has plans to create aerial drone zone superhighways to contain UAV traffic

To help drones take the next step in mainstream adoption, the U.K. is in the process of establishing what could be the world’s first commercial drone corridor.
Alexa for Residential program.

Alexa’s moving into your next apartment with Amazon’s residential program

Thanks to partnerships with home builders and rental companies, Alexa might soon become a default part of the rental experience — and even a tour guide.
high tech bikeshare changing transportation in america bike shares power beijing s bicycle revival

Dozens of mayors want a green pandemic recovery

C40 Cities is a group of mayors dedicated to tackling climate change. They think the coronavirus should transform cities into car-free, mass transit utopias.
Amazon Dash Cart

Amazon’s new smart shopping cart lets you skip the checkout lines

Amazon has launched a smart shopping cart called the Dash Cart that uses sensors to tell what you're buying and lets you skip the traditional checkout lines.
what comes next episode 5 wcn schools

What Comes Next: How tech can help schools safely reopen

If your school is reopening in the fall, safety will be a priority, and the upcoming school year will test the limits of how schools can open and operate.
Brixton Academy 1

Iconic music venue will present live gigs you can watch in VR from your home

In the age of coronavirus, live music gigs seem like something from another lifetime. Could virtual reality help bring them back?
elon musk boring company tunnel loop lift co hawthorne

Elon Musk’s Boring Company plans ‘Not-a-Boring’ boring contest

With a plan to build underground transportation systems, the Boring Company needs tunneling machines that are quicker and more efficient than current designs.
Telexistence

Japanese convenience stores will use VR-controlled robots to stack shelves

A chain of convenience stores in Japan is testing out VR-controlled robots controlled by employees to stack shelves. It's social distancing, Skynet-style.
A QR code opens a digital restaurant menu

You’ll be ordering food with QR code menus long after the pandemic ends

QR codes menus at restaurants are experiencing a renaissance as a way to eliminate shared menus, which could spread the coronavirus between customers.
what comes next episode 4 wcn transit

What Comes Next: How tech helps transit and travel open safely

We take a look at the safety measures around public transportation and flying, and how those industries are aiming to tackle the spread of the coronavirus.
what comes next episode 1  offices workplaces abc thumbnail

What Comes Next: How tech is helping offices and workplaces reopen

In our new series, What Comes Next, we take a look ahead to see what steps businesses will need to take to prepare to move into the next phase of reopening.
what comes next episode 2  gyms abc

What Comes Next: How tech is helping gyms and salons open safely

On this What Comes Next, we look into the reopening plans for gyms and hair salons, which are using new tech to make some big post-COVID-19 pandemic changes.
what comes next episode 3 business owner reopening a restaurant while wearing facemask

What Comes Next: How tech helps restaurants and stores open safely

On this episode of What Comes Next, Winn looks into how restaurants and stores will be using different technologies to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic.
could ai based surveillance predict crime before it happens us technology artificial intelligence

Experts: Facial recognition will be everywhere, whether you like it or not

Facial recognition could soon become as commonplace as public Wi-Fi and security cameras. But with the advance of technology comes major ethical questions.
third wave automation autonomous forklifts forklift scene

Self-driving forklifts are here to revolutionize warehouses, for better or worse

Third Wave Automation raised $15 million to make self-driving forklifts a reality. Here's how it's going to change warehouses as we know it.
2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan Waymo Self-driving Test Fleet

Waymo and Volvo ink deal to build an all-new electric robo-taxi

Waymo has announced yet another partnership, this time with Volvo. The pair will join forces to build an all-new autonomous car for ridesharing services.
democrats propose facial recognition ban crowd getty

Democratic lawmakers propose nationwide facial recognition ban

Democrats in Congress proposed a law on Thursday that would ban federal investment in facial recognition technology as well as other types of surveillance.