Editor's note: This article is part of Smart Cities Dive's "Reassessing the Smart Cities Movement" series, which examines the past, present, and future of the field.

In 1982, Walt Disney World opened the Epcot Center, inspired by Walt Disney's vision of a utopia that would "never be completed, but would constantly introduce, test, and showcase new materials and new systems." Although this Florida attraction is not strictly a utopian city, its "Future World" pavilion—marked by the iconic geodesic dome—was designed to showcase new technologies and future visions.

Today, in nearby Orlando, Mayor Buddy Dyer hopes his city will adopt a similar forward-looking perspective and become what he calls "America's premier future-ready city." In September, the city took a step toward that vision by announcing early plans to bring flying cars to Orlando's skies—a technology even Disney couldn't bring to Epcot.

"We know this technology is coming, and we want to have the best framework in place when it arrives," said Jacques Coulon, Orlando's transportation planning program coordinator. "We know that simply expanding roads and highways won't achieve the quality of life we want, so we have to think about new opportunities."

Through the upcoming Advanced Air Mobility Transportation Plan, Orlando officials will work with engineering firm VHB and NASA to explore how air taxis could fit into the city's future. Orlando is also one of five entities partnering with NASA on a series of air mobility workshops, and the only city among them.

Flying cars, air taxis, or electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOLs), even by the most optimistic estimates, are still years away from passenger operations. But Orlando's forward-looking approach reflects a reality facing smart cities: departments accustomed to handling roads and rail transit may soon need to think about mobility options that seem straight out of "The Jetsons."

While transportation departments have long engaged in long-range planning to fully prepare for multi-year construction projects, some governments have begun to look even further into the future.

Miami's 2045 Long-Range Transportation Plan, first released in 2019, includes language about connected and autonomous vehicles, maglev trains, hyperloop, and delivery drones. Texas' 2050 Transportation Plan, adopted last year, acknowledges that "technology is being adopted at a faster pace than ever before" and weighs multiple future scenarios under different levels of technology, noting that "as Texans embrace new technologies, behavioral patterns in transportation use may change." Pittsburgh this year even released a plan looking ahead to 2070.

Cities look to get ahead of the curve

Even in the past decade, the transportation world has changed dramatically. Given the ride-hailing revolution driven by Uber and Lyft, and the influx of e-scooter and e-bike fleets onto city sidewalks, city transportation departments have had to adapt quickly. Kersten Heineke, head of McKinsey's European Future Mobility Center, says cities should assess recent mobility technology developments and consider becoming pilot cities to help shape the application of technology.

Heineke noted in an email that cities that don't prepare for new tools face "two major risks." "With previous technologies and services, those cities that did not proactively co-shape with players had to 'overcorrect' by issuing... bans on certain services or vehicles," Heineke wrote. He added that unprepared cities will be the last to reap the full benefits of new technologies.

For Orlando, that means preparing for urban air mobility by envisioning a network of landing platforms for eVTOL aircraft. These aircraft may be closer to reality than many think: California's Joby Aviation says it has completed more than 1,000 test flights of its eVTOL aircraft, including a 154-mile flight it claims is the longest eVTOL flight to date, and has begun the process of seeking approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, with a goal of starting commercial operations in 2024. Uber and Boeing are also developing aircraft.

A report this year by Deloitte and the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) found that the urban air mobility market could be worth $115 billion by 2035.

Several cities want a piece of this market and an opportunity to move passengers along downtown corridors without adding to existing road congestion. Los Angeles announced its "Urban Air Mobility Partnership" in 2020 to educate and engage residents and policymakers in the technology. Houston has been a hub for Uber's flying taxi testing. In Miami, the newly built "Paramount Miami Worldcenter"—which the developer calls "a city within America's City of the Future"—features landing pads, and other new buildings will include similar "skyports."

Orlando's Coulon said early work can ensure any new technology aligns with the city's goals on sustainability and equity, rather than simply chasing novelty. Coulon said Orlando is not pouring money into projects that might serve only a niche market, but rather considering "making it a mode of transportation that provides opportunity and growth."

"We won't repeat the mistakes of the past," he said. "When considering layout, we focus on how to avoid negatively impacting a community, not displacing anyone, but creating the best service for as many residents as possible."

Today's needs vs. tomorrow's promises

Pittsburgh's PGH 2070 Mobility Vision Plan, released in September, looks half a century into the future. The document, based on historical transportation data and community input, considers a range of new mobility options from water transportation and cable cars to high-speed rail to Chicago and Washington, D.C. Kim Lucas, acting director of Pittsburgh's Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, said completing such long-range planning is necessary to "lay the groundwork for more complex and challenging things."

Lucas specifically emphasized the importance of thinking about multimodal mobility hubs, such as a central station that could handle high-speed rail and hyperloop trips and connect to modes of transportation within the city. This "living document" lists the city's broad priorities and can be adjusted as new models—whether public or private—emerge. But she added that Pittsburgh has been aggressive in smart city technology for years, putting it in a good position to think about 2070.

"Pittsburgh has a 'secret sauce' that allows us to develop a 50-year plan before many other cities," Lucas said. "When leadership is open-minded and we have the talent pool, this is a good environment for new technology."

Similarly, Miami's 2045 plan envisions a city where people travel on high-speed trains, air taxis, and rely on autonomous and connected vehicles on the roads. Eulois Cleckley, CEO of Miami-Dade County's Department of Transportation and Public Works, said this reflects "the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of the city and county."

"We're not replacing anything, but complementing existing facilities and using new technology to fill gaps," he said. "You need a combination of both, ultimately forming a mobility system structure that provides more access to more modes."

But some advocates say such forward-looking visions sometimes overlook the daily needs of commuters. Kevin Amézaga, president of the Miami Bicycle League, said the region's abundance of long-range planning has led to a kind of "analysis paralysis."

"We delay so long that when new technology comes along, we think it can solve everything," Amézaga said. He pointed to the county's plan to build a monorail between Miami and Miami Beach, despite an earlier study suggesting that expanding the existing Metromover transit service could generate more ridership. He said the new line could require passengers to transfer modes on longer trips, exacerbating what he called a "fragmented" rail network.

"It seems Miami values ribbon-cutting ceremonies more than efficiently moving passengers," Amézaga said.

Cleckley said the monorail system is part of a planning process approved by voters nearly 20 years ago and will "create this long-awaited connection."

"City leaders should truly consider the entire system," Malik said. "That way, whether it's air traffic or teleportation, they can understand which modes solve which challenges, and filling gaps becomes easier."

This also allows cities to prepare for the inevitable delays when new technologies come to market, whether setbacks in permitting, approvals, or consumer acceptance.

For years, automakers and tech companies promised autonomous vehicles would be widespread by 2020, but autonomous taxi networks remain in the pilot phase. Nevertheless, cities committed to autonomous vehicle technology have successfully attracted some pilot projects and say they are fully prepared for the rollout of cars. Other governments have withdrawn from ambitious projects; Colorado ended its partnership with Virgin Hyperloop One in 2019, which had explored a 360-mile, 600-mph train route, with the state saying its transportation department would instead focus on buses and light rail.

Even President Joe Biden's $1.1 trillion infrastructure bill signed Monday includes $110 billion for highways, roads, and bridges, signaling the needs of past transportation systems, although the bill also allocates $500 million for new smart city technologies.

Malik said transportation departments considering new technology have the opportunity to look at the system level, focusing on moving passengers in the most efficient way. "What excites me is the blurring of boundaries," Malik said. "We have the opportunity to use these changes to think about how to adjust funding to provide people with better transportation options."