Baltimore will become the first city in the U.S. to pilot aerial surveillance, funded by philanthropists, to understand its impact on crime, per the Baltimore Sun.
Driving the news: Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison, who's been skeptical of the effectiveness of surveillance planes, has reversed course and said he supports a pilot program to let three private planes monitor the city from above.
Travis Kalanick is stepping down as a board director with Uber, the company announced Tuesday.
Why it matters: Kalanick is credited with growing Uber into a global phenomenon, changing the way people get around town. But he's also responsible for a problematic culture, which contributed to his mid-2017 firing as CEO.
Momentum for smart cities projects, which has been fed by big promises from industry and big hopes in government, is slowing down in the face of a wave of public skepticism.
Driving the news: Alphabet-owned Sidewalk Labs, which has proposed a futuristic smart-city development for Toronto's waterfront, has pledged not to sell personal data collected at the project or use it for advertising to assuage privacy concerns.
A New York state judge ruled in Uber's favor on Monday in a lawsuit it filed against New York City over a rule that limits how much time drivers can spend "cruising"— driving around while waiting to get a ride request, per Reuters.
Why it matters: The rule is part of a package the city passed last year, and since extended, that also limits the number vehicles ride-hailing companies can have and sets minimum earnings for drivers. Ride-hailing companies have challenged the laws, though last month a judge dismissed Uber's lawsuit over the vehicle cap.
/2019/12/20/1576863860117.gif?w=3840)
