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The Smart City concept is constantly growing in popularity as more and more solutions and features move from design to implementation stage and have an actual impact. A glance at ten of the “best’ (according to Business Matters) existing smart cities from around the world can demonstrate the ways in which technological solutions are improving citizens’ lives.
In these cases, technology allows these cities to manage services better, combat common problems such as traffic congestion, benefit the environment with less power wastage, gather data from citizens to gauge how to better serve them, improve communication between citizens and municipalities, save money on services and make people and government more efficient.
- Vienna was awarded the title of the most liveable city in the world for 2018, and this distinction is in part due to smart city initiatives improving security, traffic management, public transport, and the environment, with 300,000 solar panels being installed.
- Singapore is a very successful smart city, with constantly developing sustainable infrastructure and new smart city initiatives being implemented, and efficiently supported by policies, with other cities keen on following its example.
- London has turned 47% of the city into green spaces, has the largest public Wi-Fi network in Europe, and offers various smart parking solutions.
- Barcelona is also at the forefront of innovation, with smart parking solution, traffic navigation initiatives, hybrid buses and a movement to utilize solar power.
- San Francisco pursues clean energy projects and smart solutions to combat traffic problems, which are exacerbated by the city’ s many inclines.
- Oslo is particularly noted for its sustainability, using LED lights and sensors to liit power wastage according to visibility conditions.
- New York uses smart screens, available to everyone, to narrow the digital divide, and applies many initiatives encouraging the development of innovative solutions.
- Amsterdam is also noted for its prowess in innovation, and the major initiative currently underway is a move towards energy efficient homes and businesses.
- Tokyo, with various projects underway in anticipation of the 2020 Olympic Games, is a user friendly smart city with many Wi-Fi hotspots and advanced smart parking services.
- Stockholm offers digital and participatory services to its citizens and uses smart approaches to improve the education system.
The original article can be found on Business Matters.