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From a pilotless electric air taxi operating in 40 zones across China to a scooter-riding traffic robot and cable-free solar lamps, Smart City Expo brought together a wide range of urban technology exhibits.
✦ AI SUMMARY 30-second read
- EHang's two-seat pilotless eVTOL, certified by China's civil aviation authority, was showcased with a 30-kilometre range and commercial passenger operations reportedly begun in March 2025.
- Aimoga's security robot, dressed as a traffic officer and already deployed in Wuhu, China, can direct vehicles, check parking and operate for two hours.
- Barcelona City Council selected Kapsch and Acisa for AI-based traffic-light management pilots, each receiving €100,000.
Why it matters: The exhibits signal growing city interest in autonomous vehicles, AI-managed infrastructure and inclusive urban design for ageing populations.
This summary was generated by AI. Editors may review and update it.
Smart City Expo brought together companies and city authorities to demonstrate technologies intended to reshape how urban spaces function, from the sky to the street level.
Among the most prominent exhibits was EHang's EH216-S, a remotely piloted, two-seat electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The company said the aircraft was active across 40 zones in China at the time of the event and has a range of 30 kilometres, with flight time of 15 to 20 minutes depending on load.
EHang's vice-president for Europe, Ricardo Ortega, said the company's European base is at Alguaire airport in Lleida. EHang sees potential uses in aerial tourism, point-to-point passenger journeys and access to hard-to-reach areas during emergencies.
EH216-S certification and operations
The EH216-S received a type certificate from China's Civil Aviation Administration in October 2023, followed by a production certificate in April 2024. EHang subsequently obtained a standard airworthiness certificate for the aircraft.
Commercial passenger operations in China reportedly began in March 2025, following the completion of the certification sequence and operational approvals. Chinese certificates do not of themselves authorise passenger flights in other countries, where local authorities carry out their own certification and safety assessments.
Robots, lighting and traffic monitoring
Chinese firm Aimoga displayed four robot models, including a security robot that rides a scooter and is dressed as an urban traffic officer. The robot can direct traffic at junctions, check whether vehicles are parked correctly and guide groups in public spaces. Aimoga representative Jiang Donglei said the robot was already operating on streets in Wuhu, in Anhui province. The company also presented a nurse robot fitted with a large screen, designed to assist with patient triage and movement within hospitals.
French company Fonroche exhibited a solar-powered street lamp that requires no cables and can be controlled remotely, eliminating the need to dig trenches during installation. The design also removes copper cable that could otherwise be stolen. Spanish director Yoann Beguin said installations had taken place at campsites and in Alcorcón and Seville, with talks under way with the councils of Valencia and Huelva. Fonroche had also been shortlisted for a competition to supply 14,000 larger lamps for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, though that selection did not constitute a confirmed contract.
South Korean city Seongnam demonstrated patrol robots made by Neubility, in service since 2025 in station squares and parks. The robots use image recognition to detect incidents such as fires or medical emergencies, alerting control centres and issuing warnings. Kazakh company Noise Locator showed an AI camera that uses microphones to locate excessively noisy vehicles and identify their registration plates. A separate emissions monitor, developed by Daver under the EIT Urban Mobility project, can measure nitrogen oxides, particles, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and ammonia as vehicles pass, completing the process in under a second without requiring vehicles to stop.
Inclusive design and Barcelona pilots
University College London's Person-Environment-Activity Research Laboratory, a 4,000-square-metre facility in Dagenham, contributed a demonstration that simulated a pedestrian crossing from the perspective of a person with dementia affecting visual perception. The exercise allowed urban planners to examine the challenges faced by an ageing population moving through public spaces.
Barcelona City Council and Fira, with the participation of Fundació Mobile World Capital, selected Kapsch and Acisa to run pilot projects testing artificial intelligence in traffic-light management, with each company receiving €100,000. Barcelona transport operator TMB presented a tool for assessing bus speeds and identifying routes where intervention could improve journey times. Municipal company BSM showed a model of Endolla Barcelona's planned ultra-fast car-charging hub.
What happens next
EHang said it holds local permits for its European base, and the company continues to pursue expansion into aerial tourism and emergency access applications. Fonroche's discussions with two Spanish city councils remain ongoing. Elets will update this story as further developments emerge.