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Tech companies pick up pace of dealmaking

As smartphones and computers seep deeper into the fabric of everyday life, governments are looking at how they can use technology to improve life in cities

Published Sun, Jan 21, 2018 · 09:50 PM

Big Tech

Washington

ROBOT-DRIVEN taxis and computers eliminating traffic jams may appear sooner than you think after some of the biggest technology companies picked up the pace of dealmaking to bring about "smart cities" of the future.

Thirty-five agreements were signed between technology companies and major metropolises to jointly work on projects in 2017, up from eight the previous year, according to a report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance released on Wednesday. Google's parent company Alphabet Inc and China's online retailer Alibaba Group Holding Ltd were involved.