Emerging technologies like drones and data analytics can help police, but they need community acceptance first, speakers at a South by Southwest panel said.

Gregory McCarthy and Stefanie Costa Leabo represent two key personnel changes following the appointment of David Elges as city CIO last November.

Elges was most recently the CIO of Washington, D.C.'s Child and Family Services Agency.

A yearlong study by Northeastern University showed "small but meaningful benefits" that are now encouraging further investment in the technology.

By encouraging ride-sharing services over from public transit, autonomous vehicles were found by researchers to generate various changes in traffic congestion in different regions.

Test cars previously limited to the city's predictable Seaport district will now be free to roam within city limits.

The city's first chief data officer says he will soon return to the Boston region to build a new data team as he takes on "new challenges."

"More of us should be coming from the inside out," the former city and state government tech worker told StateScoop.

In January, the IT leader will leave behind a host of initiatives that helped to transform civic engagement in city government.