What is a “smart city”?

A “smart city” is the effective integration of physical, digital, and human systems in an artificially created environment, the goal of which is to ensure a sustainable, prosperous, and comprehensive future for citizens.

Thanks to information and communication technologies, city authorities can monitor the development of the urban environment, identify the most effective tools to improve the quality of life, and directly interact with communities and urban infrastructure.

Data collection, processing, and analysis from city residents are done using sensors operating in real-time mode. The information obtained allows identifying and replacing ineffective methods.

The purpose of developing “smart city” technologies is to improve the management of urban flows and the speed of solving complex tasks. The use of Smart City technological solutions enables more efficient and faster problem-solving compared to conventional operational approaches. However, the specificity of the term is not clear enough, leading to various interpretations and discussions.

Elements of a “Smart City”

Data Center

A unified database is used for collecting and transmitting information to relevant authorities and services. For example, a call to 112 allows the emergency service to obtain information about the victim’s location, and a hospital, upon the victim’s arrival, receives their medical records. Data on a public shootout will be sent to the police along with images from the “smart” city’s surveillance cameras.

Unified City Application

All necessary information for residents is accumulated in one application. It allows residents of the digital “smart” city to call taxis, pay utility bills, report traffic situations, road surface problems, etc. Such an application is available, for example, to Chicago residents.

“Smart” Parking

According to research by the American Society of Intelligent Transportation, the cause of about 30% of traffic jams is the inability of car owners to quickly find parking spaces.

The implementation of the “smart city” concept can address this problem. Parking time is determined by special sensors, and payment is automatically deducted from the linked bank card. Parking sensors are installed in many cities in Europe and the USA. For example, they can be found in Paris or Kansas City.

“Smart” Lighting

Today, in many cities, street lights automatically turn on at dusk. However, the “smart city” project goes further. For example, in San Antonio, streetlights along highways shine brighter after rain. This helps drivers see the road better, taking into account road conditions.

Solar Panels

An important task of the “smart city” system is environmental care, so projects include alternative ways of generating electricity. One of the compact solutions is solar panels. For example, in