A thought piece co-written with Dr. Colin Birchenall (fellow IET Member and Chief Technology Officer, Digital Office for Scottish Local Government and Chief Digital Officer, Glasgow City Council).  

Originally published by Business Reporter, on behalf of the IET.

So what will it be like to live in a smart city?

Things will just work better because services are constantly adapting and learning and are more proactive – intelligent streetlights will rarely fail, smart bins won’t overflow, and so on.  If anything, the ability for service providers to do more with the same amount will be a common theme. Which is great as our societies are demanding more with less.

Living in a smart city will be about understanding and unlocking your role in it tailoring the services that you require to be more personalised and proactive, to improve your quality of life. You will have greater control over what you consume and when. Plus, you will be empowered to participate within the decision-making and shape the future of your place. Although technology and data will enable cities to be smarter, it will be its people – its elected members, officers, communities, and citizens – who, by being better informed, will truly make cities smarter than they are now.

Link to original article:  https://www.business-reporter.co.uk/2019/06/27/engineering-the-smart-places-we-will-love-to-live-in/#gsc.tab=0