What Is a Smart City? What Are Some of the Features It Can Offer?
Smart technology is everywhere, from our appliances to our handheld devices to our homes. At a much broader level, though, smart technology is being considered by city planners to help improve urban living. What is a smart city? What are the ways that smart technology is or may soon be used to enhance city living?
What Is a Smart City?
The concept of a “smart city” involves the use of digital technology to manage the day-to-day functions and interactions of city residents. Smart cities use “IoT” devices to collect and exchange data. Those IoT devices are typically physical objects, such as traffic lights, parking meters, waste bins, street lights and security cameras, which have sensors embedded in them. The sensors collect and transmit information to be used to improve certain functions within the city.
What Are Some of the Characteristics of a “Smart City”?
Some of the smart technology currently being used or developed for use by cities includes:
- Smart traffic signals, which can monitor and adjust traffic flow in real time, changing the timing of lights to minimize congestion or redirect traffic after an accident
- Smart public transportation, allowing passengers access to real-time information about optimal routes or arrival times
- Smart parking sensors, helping motorists locate available parking spaces through mobile apps
- Smart street lights, which can reduce energy consumption by adjusting lights to
- Smart trash cans, which can notify collections agencies when bins are full and, in some instances, compress waste
- Smart water systems, which may detect water leaks or main breaks and manage water flow
- Smart power grids, which can monitor and manage energy use and allocation
- Smart environmental sensors, which can evaluate different forms of pollution, including air quality and noise levels
Are There American Cities that Are Implementing Smart Technology?
Yes, a number of American cities have started employing smart technology to improve city functions:
- San Francisco currently has technology in place that evaluates traffic patterns and makes adjustments to enhance traffic flow. San Francisco also uses smart technology to maximize the use of renewable energy sources in the city.
- Columbus, Ohio has set up a data platform to allow the exchange of information throughout city offices, including technology that is currently being used to reduce travel times and emissions within the city.
