What does the future hold for smart cities?
According to the UN, 54% of the world’s population live in cities as of 2014. That’s expected to rise to 66% by 2050. Cities are going to have to undergo huge changes in order keep up. They’re going to have to get smarter.
The exact definition of a “smart city” varies, but the goals tend to be far more ubiquitous. People want a better quality of life and a cleaner environment to live in.
But how do we get there? And how will technology help us?
It’s easy to speculate what the future will hold for smart cities and, well, that’s what I’m about to do. Here are 3 predictions for the future of smart cities.
Transport
I don’t think it’s too controversial to predict that self-driving cars are going to be a huge part of our not-too-distant future. How long we’re going to have to wait, exactly, depends on which car company you ask.
Without wishing to delve too deeply into the ethics of self-driving cars, there are some problems that need to be ironed out first. It’s going to be an uphill battle to gain people’s trust in the safety of autonomous cars, but not an unwinnable one.
As with any other world-changing technology, you need a long runway. It’s likely we will see automation introduced in stages, so the public gets used to the idea more gradually. I have no doubt, however, that autonomous cars will be an integral part of the future of smart cities.
Maybe don’t throw away your driver’s license just yet, though.
Sustainability
You might not think a city reliant on digital technology would be particularly green, but hear me out on this. Smart city technology can – as Rudy Provoost argues in The Guardian – “enable both a better quality of life and reduced energy consumption.”
The use of this technology ranges from Google’s gargantuan plans to use big data to protect the environment globally, to smaller-scale projects.
One such project is Ecube Labs’ solar-powered, smart waste bins. Nicknamed “The Internet of Bins,” the project aims to create networks of waste bins around cities, each of which can monitor levels of rubbish and compact waste autonomously.
But what are the tangible benefits of smart cities on our environment? As this article from Integrated Skills points out, the practical benefits of smart cities on the environment can include:
- Monitoring and improving air quality
- Congestion control
- Monitoring recycling levels
- Energy-saving schemes
Shopping
We can get a glimpse into retail’s future by looking at its present.The technology you might associate with smart cities of the future is already being used across retail. This is particularly true in high-end fashion.
Take, for example, Ralph Lauren’s connected fitting rooms. They use RFID technology to recognise the items a customer has brought in with them and renders them on the mirror right in front of you. The mirrors show other sizes and colours for each item, and can recommend other products based on what you’ve picked up.
Smart technology gives shoppers more options and more freedom, and it’s only going to become more widespread as we move towards our digital future.
The journey to creating smart cities around the world is going to be gradual, but this is necessary. Technology is fundamentally altering the way we interact with the world, and that will be a learning curve for some. There are challenges to overcome, but the future of smart cities is incredibly exciting.
At LamasaTech we’re fascinated by the technology shaping the cities of the future. If you are too, get in touch to arrange a consultation with one of our experts.
