FEATURE : SMART CITIES
CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES WANT SERVICES THAT WILL IMPACT THEM NOW . THEY WANT IMPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL
SUSTAINABILITY , IMPROVED RECYCLING CAPABILITIES AND IMPROVED
TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURES . hardly exotic territory for most people , they need to address the fundamental problems of everyday urban life .
When asked to choose from a menu of technologies most integral to their town ’ s Smart City initiatives , the vast majority select 5G mobile , Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) and IoT . The same is true of business respondents , many of whom also point to data analytics and cloud computing .
Residents expect the outcome of Smart City efforts to include greater efficiency and the reliability of services . They ’ re also hoping for improved public transport , a greener and more sustainable physical environment , and a plethora of new business opportunities for local firms .
“ Smart City initiatives need focus and achievable objectives ,” said Andrew Brinded , Vice President and EMEA Chief Operating Officer at Nutanix .
“ There ’ s little point in projecting too far ahead and talking about driverless cars or robots . Citizens and businesses want services that will impact them now . They want improved environmental sustainability , improved recycling capabilities and improved transport infrastructures , but they also want it at reduced costs . It can be a delicate balancing act for city leaders , between delivering improved services and saving money .
“ For example , Zurich is typical of the challenges Smart City developers face . While the majority of people in Zurich believe that Smart City initiatives should keep local service costs in check and deliver low-cost transportation , they also want the city to incorporate the most advanced technologies .
“ It ’ s a prioritisation challenge but one that needs a strong technology footing . Without a robust , secure , dynamic cloud and wireless infrastructure , cities will be limited in what they can achieve .” • www . intelligentcio . com INTELLIGENTCIO
45