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] Oslo Science City wants to help enable and improve innovation opportunities by creating an arena for leading researchers and highly motivated students to interact with dynamic business incubators and disruptive companies. sensordecade.com
• [New] Air taxi services are expected to launch commercially in select cities within the next 1-3 years, while personal ownership of roadable aircraft is likely 5-10 years or more out. Day Spring Management
• [New] By 2030, we can anticipate seeing more established air taxi services operating in major cities worldwide. Day Spring Management
• [New] With the FIFA World Cup 2026 opening in mid-June across 16 host cities in the US, Canada, and Mexico, threat actors have already deployed active infrastructure targeting event attendees, corporate sponsors, telecommunications providers, airlines, hotels, and payment card systems. Tech Jacks Solutions Security Command Center
• [New] The AI attack surface expanded significantly, with confirmed agentic prompt injection chains, CI/CD pipeline exploits via Claude Code (CVE-2026 - 25253), and the FIFA World Cup 2026 opening a major event-themed threat window spanning 16 host cities. / USA Tech Jacks Solutions Security Command Center
• [New] The fare-free, zero-emission transit service will connect dense neighborhoods, busy business districts, world-class cultural institutions, and vibrant academic communities within Kansas City. Railway Track and Structures
• [New] Robotaxis and autonomous trucks will lead public-road deployment, with as many as 80 cities potentially hosting large-scale robotaxi services by 2035. Mean CEO's BLOG
• [New] Globally rapid urbanization means two thirds of all humanity will live in cities in the next two decades. New York Botanical Garden
• [New] For 2026, the FIFA World Cup will make some North American cities busier than usual, while European beach destinations will start moving toward peak summer demand. LEVEL8
• [New] Taiwanese group Foxconn is expected to invest €120 million in the western city of Angers for a production line for motherboards dedicated to AI, in partnership with French supercomputer specialist Bull. Euronews
• [New] China is anticipated to record 15.5% CAGR as smart city security and domestic UAV manufacturing expand. FactMr
• [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

Last updated: 13 June 2026