Back when we first wrote this collection of smart city trends, it was amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The general sentiment at the time was that shut-down had put many smart city plans on hold. We all recall hearing about the inevitable rise in self-driving cars. Some experts were even predicting, as outlandishly futuristic as it might sound, flying cars. But our dreams of living in Back to the Future II were put on hold when the health crisis caused cities to re-evaluate their infrastructure plans.
However, despite our general lack of hover-crafts, the pandemic did not kill the smart city dream. On the contrary, many cities pursued other less overtly dramatic smart city initiatives in part because of the pandemic. After all, the smartest cities know that a digitally connected community is just as much about promoting public health and safety, improving emergency response, and effective analytics as it is about transportation and sustainability. They also know that in the long run a smart city saves more than it costs.
Weiterlesen: Smart City Trends to Watch for in 2024 and Beyond
The allure of the “smart city” flickers like a neon sign in the urban landscape. Promises of efficiency, sustainability, and improved quality of life abound.
But beyond the buzzwords, how do we assess the true intelligence of our urban environments?
Is yours a shining example of technological prowess, or a city struggling to keep pace with its aspirations?
The term “smart city” refers to the use of technology and data-driven solutions to enhance residents’ quality of life, improve efficiency and address various issues (like traffic congestion, pollution, and public safety). The phenomenon is on the rise worldwide, with many local governments adopting smart technologies.
One of the most important infrastructures for a smart city is a robust and effective Wi-Fi network. One such example is Hertfordshire in the UK, which recently upgraded its Wi-Fi infrastructure in over 300 government offices and community hubs. According to Innovation News Network, having a secure network with robust AI capabilities helped Hertfordshire County Council improve connectivity and benefit the community by encouraging residents to use public spaces. Other benefits include a supported hybrid working style and the minimization of roadblocks. Furthermore, if the Hertfordshire County Council wants to integrate other smart technologies, it will already have the foundational infrastructure.
We’ve been witnessing so much growth, starting from the appearance of the Internet to the updated versions. Web2 to Web3 and now Smart Cities from 1 to 2. The fusion of technology and urban planning is redefining the way we live. A smart city is a vertical of Internet of Things (IoT)—a term used to define a network that not only connects people but also the objects around them.
The Future Of Smart Cities
As an entrepreneur deeply entrenched in the IT industry for over two decades, I see so many changes in daily life thanks to IT, like smart homes and innovations in solar and wind power. The potential of Smart Cities 2.0 is now developing fast.
Weiterlesen: How IT Can Help In Building Sustainable Urban Ecosystems
The number of people expected to be living in cities is set to double by 2050 to some 6.4 billion urban dwellers. To cope with this population increase, and to adjust to the new needs of larger cosmopolitan environments, cities will require new and innovative ways of managing their assets and resources.
This is addressed by various smart city initiatives, where clever ways of connecting technologies, data and stakeholders, result in completely new fashions to manage e.g. traffic, street lighting, parking, waste collection or public safety. But for a city to become truly smart, it also needs to break the often-existing silos between different city departments, as well as the silos between public and private entities.
Weiterlesen: Breaking down the silos to create efficient smart cities