Smart cities and the capabilities of connected infrastructure were a focal point of U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s virtual address to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last week.

“In our lifetimes, we could see truly smart cities built on the connected technology showcased at CES, where cars, buses and infrastructure all communicate with each other to plot safer routes and use less energy,” Buttigieg said.

He also praised cities and states for their innovative responses to the pandemic, noting that “some of the most important innovations were deceptively low-tech.” He pointed to the ways that local leaders have encouraged more walking and biking, in addition to the new ways that cities have used outdoor space for dining. He also said that small solutions like self-healing pavement to reduce potholes “may do more for Americans in our lifetime” than highly exclusive commercial space travel.