A smart city is a data-driven city. Integrated systems of devices collect and analyze information about citizens' activity and urban infrastructure in real time to improve the safety, sustainability, and efficiency of municipal operations.
Smart cities rely on sensors scattered throughout urban centers to collect information. That data is shared and analyzed through an interconnected network of devices referred to as the Internet of Things, which can include vehicles, appliances, and other physical objects. From there, software can deploy rapid responses to challenges like traffic congestion and extreme weather.
Proponents argue that smart cities have the potential to significantly enhance the quality of life by addressing everyday concerns, such as energy management and public sanitation, as well as more serious and complex issues, including crime and community health. However, opponents warn that smart cities also open citizens up to cybersecurity threats, unwanted surveillance, and increased inequality. Efforts to build smart cities from the ground up have also faced significant financial challenges.
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Instead of working in isolation, municipal departments can share data, such as lighting and telecom needs, seamlessly and collaborate to solve larger-scale problems together. Integrating public feedback systems can further improve city services and sustainability.
A 2018 study analyzed 50 global cities to determine whether smart city technologies enhance residents' quality of life. It found that these technologies can decrease the time spent interacting with healthcare and government by 45% to 65%, while also decreasing the disease burden by 8% to 15%.
By integrating technology into public transit, utilities, and other municipal systems, these cities aim to reduce costs and enhance the quality of life for their residents. Some of these technologies include adaptive lighting, parking sensors, and underground waste systems.
Los Angeles utilized aerial imaging and cluster analysis to gather and interpret civic data, leveraging surveillance technologies developed by the Department of Defense during the height of the Cold War. Instead of being used for military purposes, data insights helped direct social services to high-poverty neighborhoods.
The mobile application is designed to protect citizens in select European cities from extreme temperatures by calculating the heat index at a specific location and providing personalized information to users. Municipal governments can also utilize it to inform emergency responses, such as determining when and where to open cooling centers.
In response to the deadly floods and mudslides in 2010, Brazil and IBM developed a multimillion-dollar plan to modernize Rio's emergency management infrastructure. An operations center utilizes advanced weather forecasting, surveillance, and real-time data to surveil and respond to events such as severe storms more accurately.
Through information and communication technologies, smart cities can provide enhanced public services and improved quality of life by managing traffic and dynamic safety policies. They can also promote sustainability by automating energy use and redirecting resources according to need.
Although connecting systems to the Internet of Things can provide improved efficiency in municipal systems, problems such as limited affordable housing are driven by larger socioeconomic factors. Some experts suggest that local governments should focus resources on practical solutions to these issues rather than investing in smart technologies.
The IoT enables physical devices to share data collected via sensors or specialized software, often without human intervention. Controlling the air conditioning and heating in one's home via an app, as well as receiving alerts when away from home about someone at the door, is made possible by the IoT.
Advancements in cloud technology and artificial intelligence allow cities to capture, store, and analyze more information than ever before. Experts warn that the unhindered ability to collect and use this data may infringe on residents' rights and endanger them if the data gets into the hands of malicious parties.
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