Panasonic is one of the most famous manufacturers of consumer electronics, but in recent years the Japanese company is actively developing towards high-tech urban design. Its largest project in this area is the construction of a "smart city" in the US, which should be completed by 2026. The initiative is part of a larger Panasonic program called CityNow. As reported by Business Insider, the project will be implemented near the airport of Denver, Colorado. In the area of ??the empty land of 162 hectares, devices for distribution of free Wi-Fi, LED street lights, air pollution sensors, solar panels and security cameras. In the event of a power outage, the district will be able to autonomously exist within 72 hours. An important role in the functioning of a smart city will be played by unmanned vehicles: in the spring there will be an autonomous bus. In the future, a high-tech system, Road X, will be deployed on a 24 km stretch of highway, which will exchange data with unmanned vehicles, for example, suggest an optimal route of travel. This part of the $ 72 million project is being developed jointly with the US Department of Transportation. According to program manager Emily Silverman, new technologies will improve the life of Denver. For example, smart lights will reduce "light pollution" and energy consumption. The population of the capital of Colorado annually increases by 15 000 people, which is fraught with problems such as traffic congestion and lack of affordable housing. Innovations tested in the new area will help in their solution.

If the project is successful, similar initiatives can be deployed in other American cities. This is the first experience of the CityNow program in the US, but three years ago Panasonic successfully completed the construction of a "sustainable smart city" Fujiwawa 50 km west of Tokyo. The company connected 1,000 homes to a solar power system that monitors electricity consumption in real time.

Original article: Panasonic will build in the US "smart city of the future".