The US federal government should   invest billions in making its cities smarter, says the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) in a new report

The report, entitled “Technology and the Future of Cities,” outlined the current state of Smart City technology infrastructure   and described opportunities for economic growth.

PCAST also recommended the best steps the federal government should take to efficiently improve the lives of its citizens through harnessing data collected by the Internet of Things (IoT).

The Obama administration last September announced a plan to invest $160 million on research and local infrastructure. PCAST wanted this to be scaled up for a “more integrated approach to supporting new technologies.”

The report asked the Department of Commerce to launch the “Cities Innovation Technology Investment Initiative.” It will require open collaboration among the Departments of Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Energy, and Transportation, along with the local agencies needed to organize these efforts.

PCAST also advised the administration to follow the Department of Transportation’s “Smart Cities Challenge” model.

The report asserted that the Commerce Department should fund five districts with money in the range of $30-40 million each, from existing sources in its constituent agencies and with at least two of the districts in low-income communities.