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The Benefits of Smart Cities

The Benefits of Smart Cities: IEEE Innovation at Work

Smart Cities are here, using Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to improve the power grid and other utilities, increasing efficiency and stretching municipal funding.

But that isn’t all.  Imagine you are heading to an event in a city where parking is notoriously difficult.  Don’t worry about parking your car.  Instead drive your autonomous vehicle to the venue (the streetlights will be sure to illuminate as you pass, turning off and saving energy after you’ve driven by.).  Your self-driving car drops you off, and then uses its IoT connection to the city grid and drives itself to available parking.  When it’s time to leave, your car picks you up.

This type of connected experience is not far from the realm of possibility. When municipalities create smart city experiences that pool resources and share data, they create places that residents want to live, and to which businesses flock. And the best part is that these technologies tend to improve efficiencies and save money, paying for themselves within a few years. (Horn, 2016)

How can smart cities technology transform and benefit these communities?

  • Smart cities pool resources and maximize cost savings that translate to better community services. Municipal entities have found cost savings by initiating simple improvements to their planning, resulting in funding for more programs that support more of their residents.
  • Coordinating IoT initiatives have a positive impact on the residents of that community. According to John Horn, CEO of Ingenu,A city that illustrates a commitment to improvement through smart initiatives is more likely to build strong, well-informed, and healthy communities.”
  • Finally, as these communities get recognized for their positive attributes, it attracts more people to the neighborhood.  They will want to live, work, and play in these areas, generating additional revenue for the community. Besides the individual, companies migrate to places that centralize resources, because this reduces the costs of doing business and in turn attracts customers.

Even though the smart city image of self-driving cars isn’t here yet, IoT technology is a cornerstone of tomorrow’s community.

Learn more about the Internet of Things, a crucial component to smart cities; check out IEEE Guide to the Internet of Things.

References

Horn, John. (2016, December 14). 3 benefits a smart city can gain from smart infrastructure. ReadWrite.

Ismail, Nick. (2017, August 29). How Smart Cities will Lay the Way for Autonomous Cars. Information Age.

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2 Responses to The Benefits of Smart Cities

  1. Madhu Oruganti October 11, 2017 at 9:35 am #

    Wonderful Initiation by IEEE
    Thank you IEEE

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