Cars really aren’t that connected yet — not compared with what auto makers want to build in the next five years, anyway.

The term smart cities is popping up more frequently. So what does smart city actually mean? It’s a relatively new term, but it will be huge going forward. I am invited to attend more smart city conferences here in the U.S. and worldwide to learn more. Smart city technology is still in its infancy, but growing rapidly, and I believe it will become a very important new industry sector going forward.

While cities are making progress toward improving living standards and social and environmental sustainability, the impact can be limited by narrow project scopes and obsolete systems. Cities can accelerate and enhance the results of their efforts by adopting a smart cities approach with supporting technologies.

The White House announced Monday that it’s pouring an additional $80 million into its one-year-old Smart Cities Initiative, bringing the total investment to $240 million. The initiative was created to help cities tackle some of their most challenging problems, regarding everything from public safety to resilience and transportation, through federal research and partnerships among governments, universities and the private sector.

The City of Kansas City could bank millions of dollars through the White House Smart Cities Initiative.

Technological progress doesn’t follow the same path for all municipalities. Towns are beefing up broadband to attract business, and government leaders at all levels are embracing open data. But not every town has the same problems, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said, and that means they’ll have different answers.

The Obama Administration announced a series of projects that build off the Smart Cities Challenge from earlier this year. Here’s how Portland will participate.

The MetroLab Network, part of the White House’s Smart Cities initiative, has received an $80 million boost in funds.

About $15 million in federal grants will be made available to cities across the country seeking to update their transportation systems, the White House announced.

Atlanta will play several roles in a broad expansion of the White House Smart Cities initiative.

From autonomous vehicles to flash flood alert systems, technology transforms how people lead their daily lives and how local cities and communities function.

Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority is ready to deploy and test connected vehicles to reduce traffic congestion, improve safety and keep transit moving.

SPOKANE, Wash. – Washington State University has joined with six private and public partners on a formal agreement to develop Spokane’s University District into a smart city living laboratory.

Michigan representatives recently secured a three-award sweep of the ITS Americas Hall of Fame categories leading up to the 23rd Intelligent Transportation Society’s (ITS’s) Melbourne World Congress this fall.

 The next big breakthrough related to driverless cars or tolling technology could occur in Polk County.