Since Kansas City unveiled a “smart” streetcar system last year, the city’s all-connected infrastructure has made it into something of a test lab for hopes — and fears — about the Internet of Things. Yesterday, the Missouri city shared its first compilation of data with a number of city and national leaders, hoping to help not just municipalities but also the federal government set “standards and best practices for big data use,” according to a press release.
As Henry Grabar reported for Next City in 2015, Kansas City’s streetcar is oh-so-much-more than public transit, making up the “spine of a body of sensors, screens and wireless Internet.” LED streetlights respond to movement, public WiFi covers a number of downtown blocks, and kiosks along the route broadcast information about transportation and city services — all with an undercurrent of public-private partnership thanks to Cisco and Sprint and more.