Smart City reality check
Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News Europe
  • Automotive News China
  • Automobilwoche
AN-LOGO-BLUE
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Account
  • login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • Dealers
    • Automakers & Suppliers
    • News by Brand
    • Cars & Concepts
    • Coronavirus Coverage
    • China
    • Shift
    • Mobility Report
    • Special Reports
    • Digital Edition Archive
    • This Week's Issue
    • CarMax
      CarMax plans bonuses for 22,000 employees to reward pandemic efforts
      COVID-19 vaccines reaching auto plants, but challenges remain
      Working online to book COVID shots, office manager Billie Jean Pellet “typed so fast smoke came off the keyboard,” said dealer Earl Stewart.
      Dealership team hunts for vaccine
      Hope stalls for rebound in European auto sales
    • Sanden's plant in the north China port city of Tianjin
      Hisense to acquire Japanese auto air-conditioner maker Sanden
      A Cadillac XT5 fitted with the 48-volt system 
      Cadillac launches XT5, XT6 fitted with 48-volt system
      Chinese tech companies are turning their sights on EVs
      Telecom firm ZTE preparing electric vehicle product line
      Changan
      Huawei, battered by U.S. sanctions, plans foray into EVs, report says
    • The industry is racing to modernize the way in which EVs are built
      As EV output explodes in China, e-axle drive assembly automates
      Plus to roll big rigs on a ‘continuum' toward self-driving future
      Lidar moves beyond vehicles to underpin a reimagined logistics chain
    • The Cruise AV autonomous vehicle, based on the Chevy Bolt
      GM-backed Cruise is in talks to buy startup Voyage, report says
      Fisker's next wave: A premium people's car
      A worker fixes a power line in Austin, Texas, last month.
      Bidirectional EVs could lend a hand in power crisis
      Toyota banks on plug-ins as rivals push BEVs
    • Elon Musk interview
      Tesla’s Model Y, on sale since March, is a showcase of EV technologies competitors will benchmark.
      Technologies of Electrification
      Cadillac’s Lyriq EV will be unveiled Aug. 6.
      Future Product Pipeline
      A CALL TO ACTION
    • COVID-19 vaccines reaching auto plants, but challenges remain
      Cars parked at a Ford dealership lot
      In SPACs, dealers see viable option to go public
      New-school solution for recruiting auto techs
      Is your dealership a great place to work?
    • Access F&I
    • Fixed Ops Journal
    • Marketing
    • Used Cars
    • Retail Technology
    • Sales
    • Best Practices
    • Dealership Buy/Sell
    • NADA
    • NADA Show
    • Automakers
    • Manufacturing
    • Suppliers
    • Regulations & Safety
    • Executives
    • Talk From The Top
    • Leading Women Network
    • Guide to Economic Development
    • PACE Awards
    • Management Briefing Seminars
    • World Congress
    • Aston Martin
    • BMW
      • Mini
      • Rolls-Royce
    • Daimler
      • Mercedes Benz
      • Smart
    • Ford
      • Lincoln
    • General Motors
      • Buick
      • Cadillac
      • Chevrolet
      • GMC
    • Honda
      • Acura
    • Hyundai
      • Genesis
      • Kia
    • Mazda
    • McLaren
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
      • Infiniti
    • Stellantis
      • Alfa Romeo
      • Citroen
      • Chrysler
      • Dodge
      • Ferrari
      • Fiat
      • Jeep
      • Lancia
      • Maserati
      • Opel
      • Peugeot
      • Ram
      • Vauxhall
    • Renault
    • Subaru
    • Suzuki
    • Tata
      • Jaguar
      • Land Rover
    • Tesla
    • Toyota
      • Lexus
    • Volkswagen
      • Audi
      • Bentley
      • Bugatti
      • Lamborghini
      • Porsche
      • Seat
      • Skoda
    • Volvo
    • (Discontinued Brands)
    • Virtual reveals (Sponsored)
      • MITSUBISHI: 2022 Outlander
      • NISSAN: 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Frontier
      • GENESIS: 2021 GV80
      • KIA: 2021 K5
      • LEXUS: 2021 IS
      • NISSAN: 2021 Rogue
      • TOYOTA: 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna
    • Auto Shows
    • Future Product Pipeline
    • Photo Galleries
    • Car Cutaways
    • Design
  • OPINION
    • Blogs
    • Cartoons
    • Keith Crain
    • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
    • Columnists
    • China Commentary
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send us a Letter
    • The new Stellantis pickup: Schrödinger's Dakota
      Fisker gets a rare second chance to build his own car company
      Gerry McGovern is right man to steer Jaguar reinvention
      Forget the Ford GT; Moray Callum's biggest hit is the aluminum F-150
    • Jaguar is about to undergo its fourth reinvention in five decades as owner Tata Group takes a second crack at shaking up a brand whose glorious past has rarely translated into a profitable present or sustainable future.
      Jaguar Redo, Part IV
      view gallery
      1 photos
      Chip Shortage
      Record Dealer Profits
      view gallery
      10 photos
      Leo Michael Cartoons - Q1 2021
      Dealers hiring from hospitality sector
      view gallery
      1 photos
      Hospitality Hires
    • Shifting gears away from the stick shift
      SEMA still a wonderful circus
      Penske still has plenty of races to win
      Ford's turn in the hot seat
    • March 2, 2021 | Will EV bets pay off?
      February 23, 2021 | Reliability continues to soar
      February 16, 2021 | Apple looks to take bite out of automotive
      February 9, 2021 | ‘Super’ opportunity for automakers
    • Reinvention of Jaguar is a tall task for McGovern
      Jamie Butters
      EV plans and some damn lies
      Mark Paul
      What dealers can do if D.C. power shift affects recalls
      Are we in the midst of a fourth industrial revolution?
    • Geely HQ
      Why Geely wants to be a contract manufacturer
      Shanghai hints at how Chinese cities will pursue electrification
      How Tesla, GM transformed EV market in 2020
      Is sales recovery nearing an end?
    • U.S. Dealership lot
      Lean lots won't last without new dealer discipline
      Taiwan Semicon microchips BB web.jpg
      Chip shortage shows need for new thinking
      Digital demands squeeze smaller auto retailers
      President Joe Biden’s move to electrify all government vehicles could push forward charging infrastructure development.
      Dealers aren't wrong to be wary of EV hype
    • New look at Nissan a positive sign
      Embrace EV ideas at our doorstep
      Dealers are right to worry about EVs
      Buying EV without dealer is just easier
  • DATA CENTER
  • VIDEO
    • AutoNews Now
    • First Shift
    • Special Video Reports
    • Weekend Drive
    • AutoNews Now: Next parts shortage could be foam for seats
      AutoNews Now: Chip woes persist: GM extending output cuts
      AutoNews Now: Toyota, Mazda, Subaru, Hyundai, Kia slide in Feb.; Volvo, Genesis rise
      AutoNews Now: Toyota RAV4 probed for fire risk
    • First Shift: Ford criticized by ITC for SK Innovation battery deal
      First Shift: GM, LG Chem mull second U.S. battery plant
      First Shift: Stellantis aims for higher profit margins in 2021
      First Shift: Volvo's electric push includes online-only sales
    • Bert Ogden Auto Group
      How a Texas group is cutting costs, saving millions
      COVID, chips and checks: Sales headwinds and tailwinds for 2021
      N.J. dealer helps position peers for ‘electric revolution’
      DCH Millburn Audi
      'Finding the diamond in the rough': How 2020's No. 1 dealership retains talent
    • Why the pickup is the auto industry's 'battleground'
      Carlos Ghosn's quest to restore his reputation
      Why Ford must execute to avoid 'deep trouble'
      Why Honda is 'locked and loaded' for 2020
  • EVENTS & AWARDS
    • Events
    • Awards
    • Congress Conversations
    • Retail Forum: NADA
    • Canada Congress
    • Europe Congress Conversations
    • Leading Women Conference
    • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
    • ANE Shift
    • Shift: Mobility at a Crossroads
    • Shift: The Future of Mobility (CES)
    • 100 Leading Women
    • 40 Under 40 Retail
    • All-Stars
    • Best Dealerships To Work For
    • PACE Program
    • Rising Stars
    • Europe Rising Stars
  • JOBS
  • AN Solutions
  • +MORE
    • Leading Women Network
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • In the Driver's Seat
    • Publishing Partners
    • Classifieds
    • Companies on the Move
    • People on the Move
    • Newsletters
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • RSS Feeds
    • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
    • Special Reports Podcasts
    • Daily Drive Podcasts
    • AAM
    • DealerPolicy
    • Gentex
    • Reputation.com
    • Ricardo
    • Ricardo
    • Allstate: Want more from your F&I?
    • Ally: Navigating the future of automotive retailing
    • Amazon Web Services: Any place, any time, any channel
    • Amazon Web Services: The power of the cloud
    • Amazon Web Services: Universal translator: Harnessing sensor data to build better automotive software
    • Epic Games: Transforming the auto industry with digital assets
    • FTI Consulting: Crisis as a catalyst for change
    • Google: 5 trends shaping the auto industry's approach to a new normal
    • IHS Markit: Automotive loyalty in the wake of the COVID-19 recession
    • IHS Markit: Autonomous vehicles: Automotive and transportation disruption
    • IHS Markit: COVID-19: The future mobility delusion
    • Level5: 2020 Automotive E-Commerce Report
    • Naked Lime: Bring social reputation together as part of big-picture marketing
    • Wells Fargo Auto: Switching gears from LIBOR to SOFR
    • Ally: Do It Right
    • DealerSocket
    • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
    • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
    • Guide To Economic Development
    • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. SHIFT
October 06, 2019 09:00 PM

Smart City reality check

Columbus, Ohio, navigates challenges of balancing its vision with practical ways to carry it out

Pete Bigelow
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Columbus beat 77 cities from across the United States to win the federal government's Smart City Challenge in 2016.

    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Maybe it was Midwestern modesty. Or perhaps it was a deer-in-the-headlights realization that transportation leaders from across the country would now be watching them.

    But when Columbus, Ohio, beat 77 cities from across the United States to win the federal government's Smart City Challenge in 2016, the initial elation was followed by apprehension.

    "When we won, I think we thought maybe we were further behind some other cities," said Jordan Davis, director of Smart Columbus, a joint-venture organization created to spearhead the public and private sectors' smart-themed initiatives. "We had every vendor knocking on our door, pitching this and that."

    But Columbus wasn't behind cities such as tech-savvy San Francisco or Austin, two of the seven finalists for the $40 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation and $10 million from billionaire Paul Allen's Vulcan Inc. Much of the transportation technology that leaders across America envisioned as a means to reinventing their cities remained in its infancy.

    Three years after winning the Smart City Challenge, which helped Columbus further raise $720 million in private-sector pledges, Columbus has indeed delivered on many goals. It deployed automated vehicles and connected cars, installed electric charging infrastructure and encouraged adoption of green-friendly vehicles. In August, a beta version launched of Pivot, an app that allows customers to plan and pay for multimodal travel.

    Davis and others have figured out where the promises of tomorrow meet the realities of today. At a time when the drumbeat to push smart technology has reached a starry-eyed crescendo, Columbus offers a clear-headed playbook on what a Smart City is actually capable of in 2019.

    Autonomous-transit link

    When business and community leaders first gathered to write the Columbus grant proposal, they envisioned autonomous vehicles playing a prominent role in their blueprints of the transportation future.

    In particular, they crafted plans to use self-driving shuttle buses to better connect Easton, a neighborhood about 20 minutes north of downtown that features a shopping mall, entertainment center and corporate campuses. A single transit stop in the area leaves prospective commuters with a long way to walk to their jobs. If an automated shuttle could connect the disparate parts to the transit stop, it seemed like an opportunity to encourage use of public transportation at a time when 83 percent of the city's commuters take single-occupancy vehicles to work.

    Columbus is promoting use of electric cars.

    "Every vendor told us 'No way,' " Davis said. "Because of the road conditions in the area, because they needed to do a left turn, because they were in an environment where people don't follow the speed limit. They were like, 'It's not going to happen.' So that was pretty eye opening. We thought based on headlines and what we're sold in conferences, these shuttles can do anything. Which is just not true."

    Columbus recalibrated. Shuttle-service provider May Mobility launched a three-mile circular route that links downtown with parking areas across the Scioto River. The six-seat electric vehicles are intended to provide something like a last-mile link between commuters and their jobs.

    The pilot project was set to end last month. In December, another autonomous initiative will replace it. French shuttle provider EasyMile will begin service on routes that link a transit center in the Linden neighborhood with St. Stephen's Community House, a nearby nonprofit center.

    Encouraging electric

    When it came time to pursue their goals of encouraging electric-vehicle adoption in the greater Columbus area, city leaders soon realized automakers were a potential hurdle — they were largely reluctant to provide inventory in a state which didn't have regulations that mandated zero-emission vehicles or similar standards.

    "One in particular was telling us, 'No way, it's not going to happen, it's a compliance car,' " Davis said.

    What Davis and others soon realized, however, was the city had unexpected allies in car dealerships. Approximately two dozen dealers are official partners of Smart Columbus. Some provide cars to Smart Columbus as part of a test-drive program that allows residents to get acquainted with EVs. In return, the city shares leads with the dealerships.

    Green transit is a big Smart City component.

    Early results are encouraging both city and dealership leaders.

    In perhaps one of its signature accomplishments, Smart Columbus says the percentage of new EVs registered in Franklin County, home to Columbus, and six contiguous counties, has risen from 0.37 percent to 2.34 percent of total registrations since the city won the Challenge — a six-fold increase.

    Installing charging stations to support that growing demand has been a central focus. American Electric Power has worked closely with the city on charging stations and has targeted the installation this year of 300 Level Two chargers and 75 DC fast chargers at key public, workplace and multifamily locations throughout the city.

    Adapting infrastructure

    Helping connect vehicles to infrastructure has been another focus.

    Smart Columbus has been working with partners such as auto supplier Bosch to install technology known as Vehicle-To-Everything throughout the Linden neighborhood, Ohio State University's campus and along key corridors that can alert drivers to real-time hazards.

    One hundred roadside units are expected to be installed at key intersections, while 1,500 to 1,800 vehicles will have the equipment needed to receive these safety messages. Among them will be 350 buses operated by the Central Ohio Transit Authority, and 200 vehicles run by Columbus' police and fire departments.

    Connectivity involves adapting infrastructure.

    Even as Columbus deploys one of the most robust connected-car pilots in the nation, there's hesitation in the city and across the country to make significant investments.

    Within the private sector and across the federal government, there's wide disagreement on which technology will be the best avenue for sending these potentially life-saving messages.

    Some favor Digital Short Range Communications; others say 5G is the best choice. But there are questions about 5G's scalability.

    "We have to invite economic activity but also be responsible with public investment, and that's something I don't think any of us really had an appreciation for" in the beginning, Davis said. "We are declaring 5G the future, but really, we haven't proven it out."

    Whether it's the competence of autonomous-vehicle systems, a tussle over the technology behind connected cars or the practical realities of encouraging automakers to sell more electric vehicles, Columbus now has the wisdom to understand what many others miss in the Smart City fervor: A long road remains before new technologies fulfill their considerable potential.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    VW unit is pumping funds into mobile charging robot
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

     

     

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    VW unit is pumping funds into mobile charging robot
    VW unit is pumping funds into mobile charging robot
    Companies work smarter, not harder, with logistics-focused robots
    Companies work smarter, not harder, with logistics-focused robots
    Other industries combine for more bot orders than automakers, suppliers
    Other industries combine for more bot orders than automakers, suppliers
    Sponsored Content: Auto Insurance Trends for 2021: What Dealers Need to Know
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    See more newsletter options at autonews.com/newsletters.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Digital Edition
    Automotive News 3-1-21
    THIS WEEK'S EDITION
    See our archive
    Fixed Ops Journal
    Fixed Ops Journal 2-8-21
    Read the issue
    See our archive
    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    Subscribe Today

    Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

    Subscribe Now
    Connect With Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

    Our mission

    The Automotive News mission is to be the primary source of industry news, data and understanding for the industry's decision-makers interested in North America.

    AN-LOGO-BLUE
    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit, Michigan
    48207-2997

    (877) 812-1584

    Email us

    Automotive News
    ISSN 0005-1551 (print)
    ISSN 1557-7686 (online)

    Fixed Ops Journal
    ISSN 2576-1064 (print)
    ISSN 2576-1072 (online)

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • Subscribe
    • Manage your account
    • Reprints
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
    • NEWS
      • Dealers
        • Access F&I
        • Fixed Ops Journal
        • Marketing
        • Used Cars
        • Retail Technology
        • Sales
        • Best Practices
        • Dealership Buy/Sell
        • NADA
        • NADA Show
      • Automakers & Suppliers
        • Automakers
        • Manufacturing
        • Suppliers
        • Regulations & Safety
        • Executives
        • Talk From The Top
        • Leading Women Network
        • Guide to Economic Development
        • PACE Awards
        • Management Briefing Seminars
        • World Congress
      • News by Brand
        • Aston Martin
        • BMW
          • Mini
          • Rolls-Royce
        • Daimler
          • Mercedes Benz
          • Smart
        • Ford
          • Lincoln
        • General Motors
          • Buick
          • Cadillac
          • Chevrolet
          • GMC
        • Honda
          • Acura
        • Hyundai
          • Genesis
          • Kia
        • Mazda
        • McLaren
        • Mitsubishi
        • Nissan
          • Infiniti
        • Stellantis
          • Alfa Romeo
          • Citroen
          • Chrysler
          • Dodge
          • Ferrari
          • Fiat
          • Jeep
          • Lancia
          • Maserati
          • Opel
          • Peugeot
          • Ram
          • Vauxhall
        • Renault
        • Subaru
        • Suzuki
        • Tata
          • Jaguar
          • Land Rover
        • Tesla
        • Toyota
          • Lexus
        • Volkswagen
          • Audi
          • Bentley
          • Bugatti
          • Lamborghini
          • Porsche
          • Seat
          • Skoda
        • Volvo
        • (Discontinued Brands)
      • Cars & Concepts
        • Virtual reveals (Sponsored)
          • MITSUBISHI: 2022 Outlander
          • NISSAN: 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Frontier
          • GENESIS: 2021 GV80
          • KIA: 2021 K5
          • LEXUS: 2021 IS
          • NISSAN: 2021 Rogue
          • TOYOTA: 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna
        • Auto Shows
        • Future Product Pipeline
        • Photo Galleries
        • Car Cutaways
        • Design
      • Coronavirus Coverage
      • China
      • Shift
      • Mobility Report
      • Special Reports
      • Digital Edition Archive
      • This Week's Issue
    • OPINION
      • Blogs
      • Cartoons
      • Keith Crain
      • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
      • Columnists
      • China Commentary
      • Editorials
      • Letters to the Editor
      • Send us a Letter
    • DATA CENTER
    • VIDEO
      • AutoNews Now
      • First Shift
      • Special Video Reports
      • Weekend Drive
    • EVENTS & AWARDS
      • Events
        • Congress Conversations
        • Retail Forum: NADA
        • Canada Congress
        • Europe Congress Conversations
        • Leading Women Conference
        • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
        • ANE Shift
        • Shift: Mobility at a Crossroads
        • Shift: The Future of Mobility (CES)
      • Awards
        • 100 Leading Women
        • 40 Under 40 Retail
        • All-Stars
        • Best Dealerships To Work For
        • PACE Program
        • Rising Stars
        • Europe Rising Stars
    • JOBS
    • AN Solutions
    • +MORE
      • Leading Women Network
      • Podcasts
        • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
        • Special Reports Podcasts
        • Daily Drive Podcasts
      • Webinars
      • In the Driver's Seat
        • AAM
        • DealerPolicy
        • Gentex
        • Reputation.com
        • Ricardo
        • Ricardo
      • Publishing Partners
        • Allstate: Want more from your F&I?
        • Ally: Navigating the future of automotive retailing
        • Amazon Web Services: Any place, any time, any channel
        • Amazon Web Services: The power of the cloud
        • Amazon Web Services: Universal translator: Harnessing sensor data to build better automotive software
        • Epic Games: Transforming the auto industry with digital assets
        • FTI Consulting: Crisis as a catalyst for change
        • Google: 5 trends shaping the auto industry's approach to a new normal
        • IHS Markit: Automotive loyalty in the wake of the COVID-19 recession
        • IHS Markit: Autonomous vehicles: Automotive and transportation disruption
        • IHS Markit: COVID-19: The future mobility delusion
        • Level5: 2020 Automotive E-Commerce Report
        • Naked Lime: Bring social reputation together as part of big-picture marketing
        • Wells Fargo Auto: Switching gears from LIBOR to SOFR
        • Ally: Do It Right
        • DealerSocket
        • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
        • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
        • Guide To Economic Development
        • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
      • Classifieds
      • Companies on the Move
      • People on the Move
      • Newsletters
      • Contact Us
      • Media Kit
      • RSS Feeds