Northwestern University Transportation Center (NUTC) is a leading interdisciplinary education and research institution serving industry, government, and the public with substantive and enduring contributions to the movement of materials, people, energy, and information.
The following articles summarize recent literature on smart cities, and are a good starting point for understanding and researching the topic.
From Mahmassani, Hani S. "Connected Systems, Smart Cities, and Urban Mobility: Realizing the Potential of User-Centered Intelligence." Presentation at First National Conress and Exhibition on Intelligent Transport Systems for Highways. Istanbul, April 22, 2014.