Panasonic is building a 'smart city' in Colorado with high-tech highways, autonomous vehicles, and free WiFi

Panasonic may be best known for consumer electronics, but it has started moving into high-tech urban design in recent years. The company is now building "smart city" infrastructure near Denver, Colorado, with the goal of turning the area into a "smart city" by 2026. The initiative is part of a larger Panasonic program Panasonic called CityNow. Although the definition of a "smart city" varies depending on who you ask, the term typically describes a metro area that prioritizes the use of technology in its infrastructure. On a 400-acre swath of empty land near the Denver Airport, the company has installed free WiFi, LED street lights, pollution sensors, a solar-powered microgrid, and security cameras.