Smart city

Definition

A smart city is a city in which investments in human and social capital and traditional (transport) and modern (ICT) communication infrastructure fuel sustainable economic development and a high quality of life, with a wise management of natural resources, through participatory action and engagement.

Smart cities is

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[a] concept that tries to create a more intelligent city infrastructure by using modern information and communication technologies. Smart cities propose a more flexible adaptation to certain circumstances, more efficient use of resources, higher quality of life, more fluid transportation, and more. This may be achieved through networking and integrated information exchange between humans and things.

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Overview

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Today, more than half of the world's population lives in urban areas. By 2050, urban dwellers will swell to 75% of the global population. The coming decades will bring a large transformation in the global urban landscape, due to societal challenges like affordable housing, congestion of roads and a huge increase of people living in cities. Infrastructural elements like mobility, buildings and energy will all be impacted. ICT will be deeply embedded in the fabric of cities and will change the way we think of city operations and how we live and work in these environments. Cities are becoming smart cities.

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"Smart cities may use sensors, cameras, and other technologies to improve city operations and management. For example, these technologies may be used to improve traffic flow, public safety, and energy efficiency. Automated vehicles are those in which at least some aspect of a safety-critical control function, such as steering, throttle, or braking, occurs without direct driver input. Automated vehicles may improve driving safety, energy consumption, environmental sustainability, and land use."

External resources

• Brookings Institution, "Getting Smarter About Smart Cities" (Apr. 18, 2014) (full-text).