IoT lays the pathway to smart cities of the future
Published: 2020-01-13 10:07:37

In the digital era, cities are increasingly adopting smart technologies and innovations. Obviously, the future of smart cities looks optimistic as local governments initiate to depend on smart city initiatives to deal with social concerns such as public transportation, healthcare, security, road infrastructure, migration and education. 

Today, 55% of the world’s population is lives in urban areas, which is assumed to enhance to nearly 70% by 2050, as per the UN Department of Economics and Social Affairs. 

By looking at these statistics we can say that IoT technology is the avenue to the connected world of computers and devices that share data with each other to improve efficiency. IoT technology appears with a set of challenges that need to overcome, but it can generate connectivity across different assets to boost efficiencies in ways that were never possible previously, eventually changing the way local governments conduct business, manage everyday life and budget their time and money.

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With the correct planning and IoT execution, the varying levels of smart cities can demonstrate success for municipalities across the universe. 
Challenges to overcome

Infrastructure

Smart Cities use sensor technology to collect and monitor information in order to enhance the quality of life for residents. Complex and expensive infrastructure is included in installing and maintaining such sensors. 

Funding for new infrastructure projects is limited and approval procedure can take several years. Installing new sensors and other developments causes temporary though still frustrating problems for people living in these cities.

Privacy concerns

Most people would like to take benefit from smart city projects which allow them to enjoy higher levels of safety, lower crime rates and a better quality of life. Another aspect that many people find interrupting is the amount of personal data accumulated by IoT smart sensors. How this data will be utilized will be a challenge that describes how smart cities work.

Smart cities security issues

Security challenges in smart cities are the main reason why many people are doubtful about smart city projects. IoT devices are normally being susceptible to security flaws. The increasing number of IoT sensors and the improved interconnectivity of collectively interdependent silos of city infrastructure increase rightful issues. Smart city developers are investing in these new generation security systems to remove the threat.

Education for engagement

To take complete advantage of smart city opportunities, citizens should have a strong understanding of the advantages and transformative potential of smart cities. So building smart cities should involve educational initiatives such as email campaigns, in-person meetings with local government representatives, online educational platforms and printed handouts – anything that could assist citizens to adopt change and make the transition less unsettling.
Opportunities for smart cities.

Smart traffic management

Modern cities are suffering from traffic congestion, as the number of vehicles continues to rise. Smart IoT solutions (https://www.hiotron.com/iot-training/) for traffic management help to reduce traffic jams. The system analyzes traffic and calculates the arrival time for the next group of cars to assure that the traffic light is green at that moment. 

Integrating a system that enables drivers to share information about traffic situations with the city traffic and the road architecture database could in fact bring complete improvements.

Public transportation

All types of public vehicles can be connected in one database allowing them to interface with each other and alert users on arrival times so that they could select supreme routes for cross-city travel. 

Parking spaces

Parking issues are some of the tedious concerns in the big cities routinely experience, but this doesn’t make them any less discouraging. Smart city technologies allow drivers to automatically locate available parking spaces and minimize time and stress-levels normally related to finding a parking spot in an overcrowded urban space. 

Security 

In smart cities like Singapore, surveillance cameras describe any activity that looks unsure– anything resembling a fight or someone suspicious. This enables the police to act immediately and supports to maintain low crime rates across the city, since. 

All in all, smart city technologies can disclose their potential in a broad range of areas, from transportation to education and healthcare.

There are presently more than 450 cities that have adopted at least one smart city project. We can expect to see rapid growth in many cities in the coming years.