Latest news and stories about smart cities in Portugal for expats and residents.
From mobility to resource management, data allows for a better understanding of territories and supports the definition of governance strategies that are more informed and closer to people's needs.
Artificial Intelligence is transforming how cities function, from traffic lights to bicycles, and from public transport to autonomous vehicles. Jorge da Silva Cunha, General Manager of Yunex Traffic in Portugal, explains how this technology can make urban life safer, more efficient, and more sustainable. Listen here to the Expresso mobility podcast, Mobi Boom, hosted by Luís Costa Branco.
The ranking 'is not based solely on the latest technologies. High scores tend to coincide with citizens' perceptions of good governance, transparency, and digital services,' notes the IMD.
The 2026 podium is identical to that of 2025, but London and Copenhagen rise two places to occupy fourth and fifth place.
A proposed 'white light' for traffic signals aims to turn human drivers into passive followers of autonomous vehicles. Developed by researchers at NC State, this system uses V2X communication and 6G technology to coordinate traffic flow, potentially reducing delays by 94%. While the efficiency gains are significant, critics argue it strips human drivers of their agency, reducing them to mere 'noise' in a data-driven algorithm that prioritizes machine-led traffic management over individual decision-making.
Making a city work means ensuring that complex systems such as mobility, housing, environment, local economy, and social cohesion operate in a coordinated, efficient, and people-centred manner. For years, we have confused modernisation with isolated digitalisation. Platforms were purchased, sensors installed, and applications created. However, a smart city is not merely the sum of technological gadgets; it is primarily a change in governance model. Today, technological infrastructure is indispensable. IoT sensors that monitor traffic, air quality, or noise levels enable quicker and more informed decisions. Integrated data platforms break down traditional silos between municipal departments. Digital Twins, digital replicas of the city, allow for simulating impacts before physically intervening in the territory. But the real challenge is not data collection; it is transforming that data into coherent political decisions. A city only works when data serves a strategy; otherwise, dashboards accumulate without changing reality. The technological 'brain' needs clear political leadership, defined priorities, and a long-term vision. A functioning city is one that respects people's time. Smart electrical grids, leak detection in water networks, and optimised waste management are no longer experimental innovations; they are demands for financial and environmental responsibility. Sustainability has ceased to be aspirational discourse; it is now a structural dimension of good municipal management. No city functions if it expels those who make it work. Teachers, doctors, police officers, municipal technicians, and essential workers need to be able to live in the city where they work. Without active affordable housing policies, the urban centre becomes a tourist scene or financial hub, but ceases to be a community. London, New York, and Amsterdam appear in international rankings of smart cities, but the biggest challenge is not in the rankings; it is in integration. Technology needs to engage with noise regulation, housing policy, climate strategy, and the financial capacity of municipalities. It is not enough to install sensors without a regulatory and operational framework that allows action on the collected data. And there is an essential question: technology must be feasible for residents. Ultimately, making a city work is an exercise in integrated governance. Because a city does not function when it is merely smart; it works when it is both smart and human, a sentient city.
Home Property The New Real Estate Cycle The New Real Estate Cycle If the first major driver of the new real estate appreciation is energy, the second is called technology.
5G is not just faster internet. It's what enables autonomous cars, remote surgery and smarter cities. Want to see how this revolution is unfolding?
