'Smart Cities Challenge' Attracts a Crowd

Andrew Krok reports on the overwhelming response to the Smart City Challenge, which just past its submission deadline and attracted submissions from 77 cities and 300 companies.

The competition was announced last December by the U.S. Department of Transportation. According to Krok, the Smart Cities Challenges will offer midsize cities a chance to "compete for up to $50 million in funding to develop the connected city of the future."

"Cities as far and wide as Anchorage, Alaska; Kansas City, Missouri; and New Haven, Connecticut have submitted proposals for solving future transportation issues. From this point, the 77 will be whittled down to just five finalists, which will be announced at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, on March 12," reports Krok.