Jonathan Bridges, chief innovation officer at Exponential-e, on how we can build smart cities and reap the rewards.
Smart cities are inevitably the future, offering endless benefits for businesses, governments, and everyday citizens. These can range from heightened security, thanks to the likes of HD Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled CCTV and parking optimisation, through to smart lighting and a fully WiFi-enabled town centre to aid connectivity. There are also green initiatives, such as electric car charging and monitoring air quality through smartphones, enabling citizens to adjust their route through a city accordingly and promote a low-carbon atmosphere.
All of these benefits improve the quality of life for smart city residents – a key motive for creating any smart city –safeguarding them through harm-reduction in everything from transport to respiration. Naturally, this attracts more people to both live and work in a city. In turn, this can result in swathes of local businesses springing up, spurred on by council investment and creating countless jobs in the process – another crucial factor. ...