Ann Arbor’s Washtenaw Community College to Offer Smart Cities Symposium

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As smart grids, autonomous vehicles, and other innovations become commonplace, the “Smart Cities: A Connected Way Forward” symposium will discuss how local governments can prepare for the coming revolution.

The symposium will take place on Friday, April 6 at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor and will cover the latest developments in technology that will affect cities, and adjustments that should be made to infrastructure and land-use plans.

“Connected and autonomous vehicles, smart grids, changing urban demographics, and the collection and use of big data – these are a few of the things that are changing our cities and transportation infrastructure,” says Rose B. Bellanca, president of Washtenaw Community College.

“These changes are going to impact us in the same why that mass-produced automobiles impacted society 100 years ago. It’s going to take long-range planning, systems thinking, and cross collaboration between business, government, and education to ensure we build cities that are livable, workable, and sustainable for everyone.”

Five sessions will cover smart vehicles, future demographics, smart cities, energy infrastructure in the smart grid, and how these changes will affect the Michigan Department of Transportation. There will also be a panel to wrap up the event. Each session will be an hour long.

Registration is $60. Visit wccnet.edu/smart-cities to register or view the agenda.