Smart Cities Never Sleep

Thanks to Hoboken-native Frank Sinatra, New York City is known as the “City That Never Sleeps.” In fact, most modern cities never sleep. Today’s metropolises function as 24-hour economies, offering opportunities for entertainment, transportation, business and shopping from dusk till dawn. Life after dark has become a realm of technological and social innovation that offers billions in yet-untapped economic potential, and smart, data-driven solutions promise an even larger portion of the population will be able to participate.

But the 24-hour economy comes at a cost; there are issues surrounding transportation and supply of goods and services, public safety and equal access, uses of space and housing. This workshop will bring international stakeholders from industry, academia, government and the public to discuss how cities should be thinking about nighttime planning and how data, innovative approaches and digital solutions can support the social, cultural and economic activities that occur after dark.

Discussion topics may include but are not limited to:

Public safety

Equal access and diversity

New business models (sharing, multi-use)

Impact of smart mobility solutions

Off-hour delivery and freight

Sensing technologies for nighttime mobility

Spatio-temporal patterns of nighttime mobility

Autonomous transport

Short range and micro transportation (ride shares, e-bikes and scooters)