Global Scans · Cities · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Smart cities are the talk of the town right now and so they should be to cope when over 60% of us will live in cities by 2030. E-bikes, Driverless- connected vehicles, buildings that talk to each other will help but many cities are susceptible to climate change and pandemics. Explore the issues faced by cities and the new ideas that will change the way urban dwellers live in the 21st century.

• [New] With global biodiversity in crisis, and climate change threatening nearly every city in the world, designing cities with nature is critical to advance resilience, adaptation, and more livable urban environments. New York Botanical Garden
• [New] As cities like London become real-world testbeds for autonomous systems, the role of government in shaping standards, enabling trials and safeguarding citizens will be more influential than ever. IoT Now News - How to run an IoT enabled business
• [New] Ongoing urbanization and rising global prosperity will combine to increase the size and density of the world's cities, forcing municipal leaders to make hard choices in the funding and management of both built and natural urban infrastructure. Natural Capital Alliance
• [New] Musk has outlined a long-term goal of transporting one million people to Mars by 2050, enabling a city-scale colony through scalable transportation and local resource exploitation. Grokipedia
• [New] WeRide and Uber plan Spain's first commercial Robotaxi pilot in Madrid - the fourth of 15 cities in their global deployment deal - with AVOMO running fleet operations beginning later in 2026. Self Drive News
• [New] Growth opportunities are helped by government measures under the Digital Transformation Strategy by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and continued investment in smart city modernization. Dimension Market Research
• [New] The RTA / NITA will advance customer information upgrades including a pilot integrating digital signage across all agencies at 10 key interagency locations in collar counties, suburban Cook, and the City of Chicago. Regional Transportation Authority
• [New] Wildlife and Wellbeing, based in Salisbury, has secured £5,000 in funding to offer events in green spaces close to the city center in 2026 and 2027 to improve people's wellbeing. BBC News
• [New] The Makran region, which stretches across Iran's south from the Strait of Hormuz to Pakistan, could host a new city. Live Science
• [New] Toyota is investing in long-term infrastructure through its Woven City project, which will act as a testing ground for fully autonomous urban mobility. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Fleets of robotaxis are expected to operate at scale in 40 to 80 cities worldwide by 2035. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Digital twins of entire cities and historical epochs will become commonplace, allowing for persistent, collaborative exploration with friends and family from around the globe. mytravelhacks.us
• [New] The urgency to find sustainable systems to protect and fortify trees in cities will only increase: The proportion of the world's population living in urban areas is set to rise to 68% by 2050, up from 55% in 2018. Reasons to be Cheerful
• [New] In 2026, cities increasingly acknowledge that mobility is a social determinant of health and opportunity. InsightBlend Daily
• [New] The world is now roughly in the middle of a dramatic transition as a result of four fundamental disruptive trends: growth and urbanization in emerging markets, technological disruption, increasing connectivity, and the ageing of populations. The London School of Economics and Political Science
• [New] India, Southeast Asia, and Middle Eastern smart cities are expected to create high-growth opportunities over the next decade. DataM Intelligence
• [New] Companies that establish early commercial presence in Level 4 urban corridors, particularly in geo-fenced smart city zones, will secure structural competitive advantages as regulatory frameworks mature globally. Persistence Market Research
• [New] As urban populations increase globally, smart city innovation is expected to remain one of the strongest IoT startup opportunities for years to come. Differ
• [New] Waymo has deployed robotaxis in major cities across the U.S. and plans to begin operations in London in 2026. Live Science
• [New] The obligation for cities with more than 20,000 residents to prepare climate change adaptation plans will only come into effect in 2028. SpringerLink
• [New] Geographic deployment scale - Waymo currently operates in more US cities and runs more rides per day than Tesla; Tesla's catch-up depends on the seven-city expansion completing through 2026-2027. BraivIQ
• [New] 96% of Gen Z and Millennial travelers plan to travel for a major sporting event in 2026, indicating a positive impact on city tourism and small-venue cities. Globe-Miami Times

Last updated: 06 June 2026