SMART CITY

THE CITY OF THE FUTURE IS SMART/ IT'S ENTIRELY INTERCONNECTED WILL REGULATE TRAFFIC,
SAVE ENERGY, FIGHT CRIME ASSISTED BY BIG DATA AND THE INTERNET OF THINGS //

BRAVE NEW WORLD OR RATHER A SURVEILLANCE NIGHTMARE? WHAT CAN SMART CITIES LOOK
LIKE ?AND TO BE REALLY WANT TO LIVE THERE/ OUR TOPIC TODAY ON RBI NEWS//

MORE THAN HALF OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION LIVES IN CITIES AND THIS NUMBER IS STEADILY
RISING RESULTING IN ENORMOUS CHALLENGES// MORE PEOPLE , MORE TRAFFIC, MORE
POLLUTION, MORE ENERGY CONSUMPTION , MORE WATER USAGE, MORE TRASH

SMART CITIES ARE SUPPOSED TO HELP COPE WITH THESE PROBLEMS /PROJECTS ARE POPPING UP
EVERYWHERE

FOR INSTANCE IN NIGERIA SOUTH KOREA INDIA OR MALAYSIA / A LIVABLE CITY THAT CAN THINK
FOR ITSELF/ HOW DOES THIS WORK? LIKE THIS FOR EXAMPLE

VISIONS OF THE FUTURE, THIS IS A SMART CITY AS IMAGINED BY TECH COMPANIES AND URBAN
PLANNERS// REGULAR STREETLIGHTS ARE REPLACED BY SMART POLES WHICH CONNECT TO OTHER
INTERNET OF THINGS DEVICES AND PROVIDE BROADBAND / DRONES AND ROBOTS DELIVER GOODS
EVEN COFFEE

AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY MAKE PROCESSES MORE EFFICIENT/ ONE EXAMPLE IS THAT
FIREFIGHTERS ON DUTY CAN BE ASSISTED BY THE CONTROL CENTER/ AND TECH HELPS TO FIND AND
CORRECT SYSTEM ERRORS TO PREVENT DAMAGE BEFORE IT HAPPENS

SOUNDS FANTASTIC/ BUT IN ORDER FOR THESE IDEAS TO BECOME REALITY TECHNICAL
PRECONDITIONS ARE ESSENTIAL / A CENTRAL ROLE FALLS TO THE NEW MOBILE COMMUNICATION
STANDARD 5G/ IT'S THE ENGINE FOR THE INTERNET OF THINGS AND ENABLES INTERCONNECTED
INFRASTRUCTURES ON A GRAND SCALE

AN EXPERT ON SMART CITIES IS YONAS BOOM/ HE'S A RESEARCHER AT THE INSTITUTE FOR
TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. GALLEN AND HE HAS PUBLISHED A BOOK
WITH GUIDELINES FOR CITIES THAT WANT TO BECOME SMART//

WE WANTED TO KNOW HOW DO MAKE A CITY SMART AND WHY?

WE WANT TO IMPROVE PEOPLE'S LIVES/ THAT'S HOW I WOULD SUMMARIZE THE GOAL OF A SMART
CITY/ IN ORDER TO DO THIS IT'S IMPORTANT FOR CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO PROPERLY EXPLAIN WHAT
KIND OF CITY THEY'D LIKE TO LIVE IN /THAT'S THE STARTING POINT /AND WE CAN BEGIN DESIGNING
A SMART CITY BASED ON THOSE DEMANDS/

IMAGINE YOU'RE THE MAYOR OF A CITY AND WANT TO TURN IT INTO A SMART CITY YOU'D HAVE TO
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING//

FIRST YOU NEED TO MAKE YOUR CITY INTERCONNECTED BY ADDING SENSORS THAT COLLECT
DATA /FOR INSTANCE TWO CARS OR STREETLIGHTS TO BE ABLE TO REGULATE TRAFFIC/ OR TWO
MEASURING STATIONS STATIONED THROUGHOUT THE TOWN THAT MEASURE POLLUTION LEVELS//

THE SMART CITY IS USUALLY A COMBINATION OF THE DIFFERENT URBAN SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE/
FOR THE MOST PART THAT MEANS MOBILITY SYSTEMS HOUSING, SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATIVE
SYSTEMS ENERGY , SYSTEMS EDUCATION SYSTEMS AND SO ON// ANYTHING AFFECTING CITIZENS IN
THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES CAN BE ASSIGNED A DIGITAL SHADOW

BUT SIMPLY COLLECTING DATA IS INSUFFICIENT/ BIG DATA IS NO END IN ITSELF/ DATA NEEDS TO BE
PREPARED AND ANALYZED//

BASED ON THIS SMALL SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR CITY CAN BE FOUND STREETLIGHTS THAT ONLY
ILLUMINATE ONCE SOMEONE IS CLOSE / OR AUTOMATIC DRIVING RESTRICTIONS WHEN THE AIR IS
HEAVILY POLLUTED// ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IN YOUR INTERCONNECTED SMART CITY/

TO BUILD A SMART CITY ONE MUST DO THREE THINGS/ CONNECT DEVICES /COLLECT DATA /AND
ASSESS THIS DATA TO FIND SOLUTION FOR THE CITIZENS//

BUT HOW DO WE GET BENEFIT FROM THE SMART CITY? HERE ARE SOME ANSWERS

IN SANTANDER SPAIN THE CITY SAVES TAXES BY USING RESOURCES MORE EFFICIENTLY WITH THE
HELP OF SENSORS/ PUBLIC SPACES ARE ONLY IRRIGATED WHEN THEY'RE TOO DRY/ GARBAGE BINS
ARE ONLY EMPTIED ONCE THEY'RE FULL//

IN HELSINKI GARBAGE TRUCKS HAVE BECOME OBSOLETE /WASTE IS TRANSFERRED TO

UNDERGROUND COLLECTION POINTS WITHOUT NOISE OR POLLUTION /

IN RIO DE JANEIRO A SMARTPHONE APP IS ENABLING RESIDENTS TO SHAPE THEIR SURROUNDINGS/

THE APP SMART FAVELA CREATES A THREE-DIMENSIONAL AVATAR OF THE SHANTY TOWNS/ WHEN
CITY PLANNERS COME UP WITH NEW IDEAS /THESE CAN BE LOOKED AT ON THE APP/ AND THEN
CITIZENS CAN VOTE ON THEM//

IN PALO ALTO IN THE US/ PARKING LOTS NOW HAVE SENSORS /THESE NOTIFY CITIZENS WHENEVER
A PARKING SPACE IS FREE/ THE CITY'S TRAFFIC IS CONSTANTLY RECORDED//

SMART ROBO COPS ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE DUBAI SAFER/ THE POLICE ROBOTS ARE EQUIPPED
WITH CAMERAS/ AND CAN FIND PERSONS THROUGH FACIAL RECOGNITION TECH/ REPORTS CAN BE
FILED ON A TOUCHPAD/

IN REHOBOTH UKRAINE CITIZENS CAN VIEW THE INCOMES OF CIVIL SERVANTS/ AND CHECK ON
HOW POLITICIANS HAVE VOTED IN THE CITY COUNCIL // CITY OWNED BUSINESSES LAY BARE THEIR
ACCOUNTS / USING OPEN DATA IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION//

IN DARMSTADT GERMANY INTERCONNECTED SENSORS ASSESS THE AIR QUALITY AND SEND THIS
INFORMATION TO A DATA CENTER /WHICH ANALYZES AIR POLLUTION AND IF NECESSARY REPORTS
BAD AIR QUALITY//

IN ORDER FOR THESE SYSTEMS TO WORK VAST AMOUNTS OF DATA ON ALL CITIZENS ARE
REQUIRED/ BUT WHO ENSURES THAT THE DATA IS SAFE ?AND WHO HAS ACCESS TO IT?DIFFERENT
SOLUTIONS EXIST//

DATA IS ESSENTIAL FOR A SMART CITY IT PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR DESIGNING INTELLIGENT
APPLICATIONS FOR THE CITY / BUT WHAT ABOUT DATA PROTECTION?//

TO BE CLEAR IN A SMART CITY THERE IS NO PROTECTION FROM DATA BEING COLLECTED /BUT ON
THE OTHER HAND IT'S PRECISELY THIS DATA THAT PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR IMPLEMENTING AND
CONTROLLING THE CITY SYSTEM// AS A RESULT VERY CAREFUL AND CONSCIENTIOUS DECISIONS
NEED TO BE MADE REGARDING HOW THE DATA IS HANDLED //
IF THE CITY CONTROLS DATA THIS CAN BE ADVANTAGEOUS WHEN IT COMES TO DATA
PROTECTION / BUT MOST CITIES LACK THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE TO PROCESS AND ANALYZE THE
DATA // FOR THIS REASON MANY CITIES COOPERATE WITH BIG TECH COMPANIES THEY HAVE THE
CAPACITY AND THE ALGORITHMS NEEDED TO WORK WITH DATA MASSES// LIKE GOOGLE SIDEWALK
LABS BELONGS TO THE ALPHABET' CORPORATION// IT WILL CONSTRUCT AN ENTIRE DISTRICT OF
TORONTO WITH THE NEWEST TECHNOLOGY OF COURSE/ BUT THE DATA SOVEREIGNTY STAYS WITH
CORPORATIONS LIKE ALPHABET / WHICH IS PROBLEMATIC AS THEY USE OUR DATA TO MAKEMONEY
//

AN ENTIRE CITY STATE AND NATURALLY OFFERS MANY OPPORTUNITIES/ SO WHAT TO DO// EXPERTS
ARGUE FOR SO-CALLED DATA UTILITIES/ THESE ARE PUBLIC FINANCED BUT INDEPENDENT
ORGANIZATIONS/ THEY MANAGE PROCESS AND CONTROL ACCESS TO DATA / ANYONE INTERESTED
IN DEVELOPING SMART CITY SOLUTIONS COULD USE THEM/ NO MATTER IF CITY OWNED BUSINESS
LOCAL STARTUP/ OR BIG TECH COMPANY / A PROMISING APPROACH / I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD
BE ABLE TO PROFIT FROM FARM DATA/ IN DATA UTILITIES PERSONAL DATA IS ANONYMIZED / AS A
CITIZEN I CANNOT INFLUENCE WHICH DATA OF MINE IS BEING USED THOUGH//

DECODE A PROJECT BY THE EUROPEAN UNION GOES EVEN FURTHER/ IT AIMS TO EMPOWER
INDIVIDUALS TO CONTROL THEIR DATA/ CITIZENS THEMSELVES SHOULD DECIDE WHETHER
PERSONAL INFORMATION STAYS PRIVATE OR IF IT'S BEING SHARED IN ORDER TO MAKE THE CITY
SMARTER//

PILOT PROJECTS HAVE BEEN RUNNING IN AMSTERDAM AND BARCELONA SINCE 2018//

WE BELIEVE THAT DATA SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD AS A PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE/ AS A COMMON

GOOD LIKE WATER/ LIKE ELECTRICITY/ LIKE TRANSPORTATION /LIKE THE AIR WE BREATHE//

A DESIRABLE GOAL CITIZENS SHOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THEIR OWN DATA/ ONCE PRIVATE
CORPORATIONS OR GOVERNMENTS CONTROL DATA IN THE SMART CITY/ WHERE DO YOU DRAW
THE LINE WHEN IT COMES TO SURVEILLANCE/ AN EXAMPLE FROM SHENZHEN CHINA//

TAXI HEADQUARTERS IN SHENZHEN CHINA THE RED CARS ARE OCCUPIED THE GREEN CARS ARE
WAITING FOR CUSTOMERS/ ALGORITHMS USE RIDE HISTORIES TO PREDICT WHICH AREAS ARE
LIKELY TO HAVE A LOT OF CUSTOMERS AND WHEN // DRIVERS CAN THEN DIRECTLY HEAD TO THESE
LOCATIONS// LIKE MR. CHEN/ HIS CAR IS PART OF THE NETWORK CONSISTING OF AROUND 20,000
TAXIS IN SHENZHEN/ AND IT'S EQUIPPED WITH AN INTERIOR CAMERA MEANING THE TAXI
HEADQUARTERS CAN WATCH HIM WORK AND LISTEN IN ON ALL CONVERSATIONS//

IN THE BEGINNING I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE AS I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT AND FELT
CONSTANTLY OBSERVED/ BUT ACTUALLY THERE'S NO REASON FOR CONCERN/ THE CAMERAS
PROTECT THE CUSTOMERS /AND US DRIVERS TOO//AND PRIVACY IS ENSURED/ AS NOT EVERYONE
CAN VIEW THE VIDEOS//

ACCORDING TO THE TAXI HEADQUARTERS ALL DATA IS WELL PROTECTED AND DELETED AFTER 72
HOURS // THEY SAY THE SYSTEM IS GREAT FOR EDUCATING DRIVERS/ AND THE FOOTAGE CAN BE
USED TO SETTLE CONFLICTS OR COMPLAINTS // THE TAXI PROVIDER ALSO SAYS CUSTOMERS
COMPLAIN LESS FREQUENTLY AND THAT MOST LIKE THE CAMERAS/ AS DO DRIVERS WHO ARE NOW
LESS WORRIED ABOUT BEING THREATENED/ BUT THE POLICE ALSO HAS ACCESS TO THE VIDEOS/
HOW FREELY WILL PEOPLE REALLY CONVERSE IN THE TAXIS?//

ANOTHER PROBLEM/ SMART STREET LAMPS PARKING LOT SENSORS/ OR GARBAGE BINS ARE
CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET AND OFFER POTENTIAL GATEWAYS FOR HACKERS/ THEORETICALLY
ONE WEAK LINK IS ALL IT TAKES TO SHUT DOWN THE CITY'S CENTRAL SERVERS/ AND CYBER
TERRORISTS COULD GO EVEN FURTHER/ ESTONIA DEMONSTRATES HOW TO PROTECT ONESELF//

IN TERMS OF DIGITAL ADMINISTRATION ESTONIA LEADS THE WAY IN EUROPE /ESTONIANS CAN
VOTE ONLINE AND ALMOST ALL PUBLIC SERVICES ARE DIGITALLY ACCESSIBLE/BUT THIS ALSO
INCREASES VULNERABILITY//

IN 2007 ESTONIA WAS TARGETED BY CYBERbATTACKS FROM A GLOBAL NETWORK OF CONNECTED

BOTS /OR BOTNET// BOTH ONLINE BANKING AND GOVERNMENT WEBSITES WERE AFFECTED//

IN RESPONSE ESTONIA HAS IMPLEMENTED ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL TRAINING ON FIGHTING

ATTACKS FROM HACKERS/ THEY ARE ORGANIZED BY NATO'S CYBER DEFENSE HUB AND OVER 20
NATIONS THE MILITARY AND TECH COMPANIES TAKE PART//

CYBERSECURITY IS ALSO CRUCIAL FOR SMART CITIES /THEY ARE BECOMING A STEADILY INCREASING
ECONOMIC FACTOR/ TECH COMPANIES USE SMART CITIES AROUND THE WORLD TO TEST THEIR
FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES/ THE BIG QUESTION IS DOES THIS BENEFIT THE CITIZENS/ TWO POINTS ARE
OF IMPORTANCE TO ME"? WHO CONTROLS THE APPLICATIONS AND WHO OWNS THE DATA?

WE NEED TO FIND RESPONSIBLE SOLUTIONS IN THE CITIZEN'S INTEREST/ WHAT'S YOUR OPINION ?
WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE THIS WAY/

HOW SMART IS YOUR CITY ? JOIN THE DISCUSSION I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR FEEDBACK ON
BELLOW, BE SMART AND BE INSPIRING WITH RBI TV