Increased urbanization around the world has directly coincided with a growing demand for cities that are both connected as well as integrated with technology and the Internet of Things. Commonly referred to as, "smart cities" many view this constant connectivity to the digital world as a critical part of urban life in the future along with the added efficiency and safety.
For example, newly designed intelligent street lights can help cut energy costs by being able to detect its surroundings and only switching on when required. In addition, envision a world where traffic lights could be optimized to reduce traffic congestion based on intelligent traffic analysis.
With the recent buzz around smart city initiatives gaining traction, companies have begun taking notice. AT&T announced earlier this year that it has entered into a series of partnerships with Cisco, Ericsson, GE, IBM, and Qualcomm aimed at smart city development. Driven primarily by technology and the introduction of smaller and more affordable wireless sensors, countries around the world are seeking to tap into the potential benefits of smart cities.
China, a country with a population of over 1.3 billion people, is emerging to be a key smart city market. In the next 4 years, over 100 million Chinese are expected to relocate from the countryside to the cities. Recognizing that the coming urbanization is inevitable, China's leaders are turning to smart city development in the hopes of creating more sustainable urban living environments that are more eco- friendly and green, and avoid recreating the infamous gray, smog-filled living enclaves many have come to associate with cities like Beijing.
Acknowledging that rapid urbanization will pose a significant challenge, the Chinese government has made it into a top priority to fund and invest in smart city technologies as part of the national agenda. Since 2009, over 190 pilot smart city projects have already been approved in various municipalities throughout the country.
However, the government is not shouldering the burden alone, as businesses have also been intimately involved in lending their expertise to setting up the critical components of smart city infrastructure such as transportation, utilities, networks, telecom and wireless equipment, data analytics, electronics, and software applications.
Although international companies such as IBM and Cisco have often been major contributors in the smart city industry both abroad and in China, local Chinese competitors are beginning to emerge. Chinese companies such as ZTE, China Mobile, and Huawei are all looking to cash in on the phenomenon and have been actively engaged in entering into various partnerships and collaborative projects related to smart cities.
With all of the upsides that smart cities appear to provide, it is not without its drawbacks. In the eyes of China's leaders, the Internet of Things(IoT) —the integration of cyberspace with manufacturing, infrastructure and consumer devices— one of the principle concepts behind smart cities, can at times be a double edged sword due to the destabilizing potential of the internet. Another concern that critics often raise regarding smart cities is the potential for constant surveillance reminiscent of a present day "Big Brother".
Although there is much uncertainty surrounding the direction that smart cities will head towards in the future, for the time being, Chinese city planners are currently focusing on how smart cities and smart technology can help create a more sustainable living habitat by reducing the energy consumption and waste for its 1.3 billion inhabitants. The end goal, after all, is to ultimately improve the lives of the people and ultimately, a greener planet for future generations to come.
Source : articlesbase.com
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