How Smart Cities will Work
Smart cities are going to be the reality for municipalities around the world. These cities may use communication networks, highly- distributed wireless sensor technology and intelligent management systems to solve the current and future challenges, and create new services. The key features of smart cities can be defined as:
Smart governance: includes flexible governance structure, technology- enabled decision mechanisms, smart regulation to connect city laws to new digital realities and innovation clusters to create jobs and vibrant economies. Smart economy: includes viable and sustainable business opportunities and the presence of innovative enterprises, clubbed with quality education and infrastructure to provide a better economic status to the city. Smart mobility: includes extensive and efficient public transportation network, park and ride, diffusion of ecological cars, limited traffic areas, cycle paths, bike and car sharing. Smart environment: includes management of waste disposal in cleaner ways, maintaining pollution-free air, water treatment plants, etc. and to provide a cleaner and greener environment to the citizens
Smart living: includes technologies to integrate and analyse massive amounts of data to provide better living to citizens in the form of childcare facilities, community libraries, entertainment modes and hospitals according to the area needs, etc.
Smart people: includes services, notifications and information to citizens, such as where to find a parking spot or a new local shop or even to monitor air pollution; connecting citizens to local government and encouraging a more direct participation, interaction and collaboration. Improved public safety: city surveillance, emergency response and disaster management are key components of a smart city. All these solutions require an extensive deployment of IoTs across the city. Sensors provide real-time information on the events in the city and centralized platform analyses the data and supports cities in improving the decision making.
About the authors: Gaurav Taneja and Rahul Rishi are Partners, Ernst & Young and Rajiv Saluja is Associate Partner, Ernst & Young Source: Ernst & Young/FICCI