Mobility building blocks: Portland’s smart city journey starts with sensors

Portland, Oregon has been a transportation innovator for many years, and the city is gearing up for a variety of smart city and new mobility options. It was one of the finalists in the US government's 2016 Smart City Challenge, and while it did not win, it is moving forward with some of the innovations outlined in its application. Today, Smart City PDX is an effort by the City of Portland and community partners to harness advanced technology to improve lives, particularly in underserved communities.

One of its more recent projects involves a collaboration with lighting specialist Current by GE, which is installing its CityIQ sensors on street lights. The sensors can provide insights on vehicle and pedestrian movement, which city traffic engineers can then use in their efforts to improve road safety. This is just one angle from which local government is tackling mobility challenges with smart technology, as Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler tells Automotive World.