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Chile SMART Cities

Santiago as a smart city

In 2025 and 2026, the IMC Business School in its Smart City Index ranked Santiago as a top smart city in Latin America due to improved efficiency, sustainability, accessibility, and automation. “Human and Resilient Santiago” (Santiago Humano y Resiliente) is a strategy of the Regional Metropolitan Government of Santiago, selected in 2014 as part of the 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) program by the Rockefeller Foundation. The strategy navigates toward 2041 with 6 pillars: Secure, Connected, Green & Sustainable, Prepared, Global & Innovative, and Inclusive.  Each year, Santiago hosts a Smart City Expo Santiago, emphasizing recent investment in new technology, laying out framework for future plans, and providing companies and interested parties with an opportunity to discuss partnerships and investments.  

Smart technology has also been adapted throughout Chile in public transportation, agriculture, ports, and mining sectors.

Security

Over the past 5 years, Santiago has continually invested in tele-vigilance camera surveillance systems. This is the most widely deployed and active security feature in Santiago’s network.  For example:

  • Encargo por Robo (Stolen Vehicle Alerts): Every passing vehicle’s plate is instantly scanned, digitized, and cross-referenced with the Carabineros (national police) database.

  • Vector Analysis: The AI can detect if a vehicle is traveling without license plates, with obscured plates, or if the vehicle make/model does not match the registered plate.

  • Patrol Routes: If a vehicle associated with past robberies is spotted entering a specific municipality, the central system triggers an alert to municipal patrol vehicles before a new crime is committed.

Another effort, Paraderos Seguros (Safe Stops), outfitted bus stops with emergency buttons, security cameras, and lighting. 

In March 2026, 5 new license plate recognition gantries and 24 cameras were installed in the areas surrounding Santiago’s central bus station.

Public Transportation

Santiago’s public transport is a keystone of its status as a smart city. The Directorio de Transporte Público Metropolitano (DTPM) regulates, supervises, and operates the largest public transportation network in the country that includes the six lines of the Santiago Metro and 378 urban bus routes. As of 2023, Santiago has 3,800 electric buses (68% of fleet), the largest electric bus fleet in Latin America. The system aims to be emissions-free by 2040, and by 20245, have emissions-free large scale freight vehicles and intercity buses.  

In August 2022, DTPM launched the Technical Transformation of the Red Metropolitana de Movilidad (RED Network), a $500 million, ten-year plan to integrate Santiago’s public transportation network, improve accessibility, and lower carbon emissions. The strategy was developed to prioritize users and strengthen the sustainability and resilience of the system. As part of this strategy, three fully automated metro lines are in various stages of construction, with plans for completion in 2028 and 2030.

Ports

Ports throughout Chile are introducing automated systems and improving efficiency. The Port of San Antonio, Chile’s largest, is the first port in the Americas to adopt cutting-edge vessel mooring technology. They have also incorporated smart logistics technology, digitizing their logistics chain and using AI-driven cargo monitoring.  

While ports have begun to integrate smart technologies, there are opportunities to use U.S. products that are focused on digitalization and state of the art technologies for reduction in docking times in order to increase port capacity.  

Mining

Two Chilean startups are transforming the mining sector with smart technology. Smart Mining, founded in 2018, develops solutions based on machine learning to optimize control of critical processes, such as classification, filtration, and grinding of minerals. The company works with multiple mining companies in Chile and Peru and plans to expand to Brazil and Mexico. SMG Smart Solutions for Mining provides drones and aeronautic services to mining companies, including 3D models, environmental monitoring, stock control, and consulting for air operations and infrastructure.

Following the recent U.S.-Chile agreement on critical and rare earth minerals and considering the high importance of the mining industry in Chile, there is significant opportunity for U.S. companies with relevant technologies to expand their business.

Agriculture

High energy prices and water shortages are driving innovation and a willingness to adopt new technologies to reduce waste and maximize efficiency. U.S. technology providers can find significant opportunities for artificial intelligence at the intersection of Chile’s agriculture industry and its smart city initiatives. As urban centers and surrounding agricultural zones compete for scarce resources, high demand exists for U.S. developers of automated precision irrigation systems, satellite-driven soil monitoring platforms, and AI-enabled logistics software to secure metropolitan food supply chains.

 

The U.S. Commercial Service in Chile can help you find the projects within your company’s area of focus that may be a good fit, as well as help coordinate your attendance to events in Chile, such as the Smart City Expo Santiago Smartcity Expo Santiago, organized every year by the Government of Santiago.