[Zema Bus]

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A scientific ghost town in the heart of southeastern New Mexico oil and gas country will hum with the latest next-generation technology -- but no people.

A $1 billion city without residents will be developed in Lea County near Hobbs, officials said Tuesday, to help researchers test everything from intelligent traffic systems and next-generation wireless networks to automated washing machines and self-flushing toilets.

Bob Brumley, senior managing director of Pegasus Holdings, said the town will be modeled after the real city of Rock Hill, S.C., complete with highways, houses and commercial buildings, old and new. No one will live there, although they could as houses will include all the necessities, like appliances and plumbing.

The point of the town is to enable researchers to test new technologies on existing infrastructure without interfering in everyday life. For instance, while some researchers will be testing smart technologies on old grids, others might be using the streets to test self-driving cars.

"The only thing we won't be doing is destructive testing, blowing things up -- I hope," said Brumley.

Read the whole story here.

Finally - a city that's not crowded and no traffic

[Ian]

That sounds really quite interesting - especially with the first driverless cars getting licenses. How great would it be to have a car that can drive you without any continuous input - not least because of the reduced traffic jams and accidents!

[EvanDavis]

Meanwhile there are 3.5 million homeless people in America, of those 1.5 million are children.

[bootneck02]

Yes social housing in the US is pretty poor, mind you I think we are catching up with them. I know the homless in Las Vegas mainly reside (couple of Thousand) in the storm drains and some get drowned in the flash floods when they it rains.

[Abarbarian]

No one will live there, although they could as houses will include all the necessities, like appliances and plumbing.

The entire concept is pretty obscene considering the poverty endemic in the USA.

[floppybootstomp]

Wottalottacobblers!

A city is nothing without people so any studies without the human factor is pretty much a waste of time imo

Ok, maybe some technology could be tested in that sterile enviroment but a whole city?

Pack yer suitcase Fred, we're off to do a bit of squatting...