Which are the smartest cities in the world? How can cities succeed in solving problems with a high-tech infrastructure? How smart are the smartest cities? What are they planning for the future? Let`s read CNN`s smartest cities list in the world.
1-Singapore
Being the financial center of Southeast Asia, Singapore is ranked first among the smartest cities in the world by many. Thanks to the Smart Nation program launched in 2014, the city has become a place where the latest urban planning technologies are used. The basis of this program is a network of sensors spread all over the city. These sensors measure many things from traffic congestion to crowds of people. This system is planned to be used to monitor places where smoking is prohibited and to prevent waste disposal.
The data obtained is also used to create a simulation of the city. In this way, it is predictable how the changes will have an impact on the city. With this simulation, managers can change bus routes to prevent traffic jams and even see how new buildings can affect wind patterns. It is stated that this simulation will be used in scenarios of natural disasters, epidemic diseases or terrorist attacks in order to remove people from dangerous areas.
2-Barcelona
Did you know that Barcelona, known for its football team, is among the smartest cities in the world? In this city, the fiber infrastructure of the technological infrastructure reaches up to 450 km. This network provides Wi-Fi service throughout the city. There are about 700 Wi-Fi hotspots in Barcelona. The maximum distance between them is 100 meters. In addition, all of the city lights have been converted to LEDs to reduce energy consumption. In addition, the light poles were turned into Wi-Fi points. The lights with timers and motion sensors are expected to reduce energy consumption by 33%. The smart parking system in the city shows the owners of empty parking spaces through an application. Sensors placed on the asphalt notify the drivers if parking spaces are empty.
3- Oslo
The Norwegian capital Oslo is a city focused mainly on energy resources and consumption. Considering the importance of sustainable energy consumption, Oslo obtains a significant portion of the energy it needs from garbage. It is used for all kinds of waste energy production from domestic wastes to industrial wastes. Oslo has exaggerated this issue so much that it no longer suffices to produce its own waste energy. For this reason, the city began to buy garbage from other places. Oslo is also one of the most used electric vehicles. Oslo is the city with the largest network of electric vehicle charging stations in the world. The city also has a parking system consisting of sensors placed on the asphalt. This allows drivers to be notified of empty parking spaces. In addition, all motor vehicles are planned to be banned in 2019. Instead, a 60-km bicycle path will be built into the city center. The street lights in the city detect the light of day and the weather and adjust the light intensity accordingly. Thanks to these lights, the energy spent on street lights is reduced by 62%. In many ways, Oslo is one of the smartest cities in the world.
4-New York
New York, one of the largest cities in the United States, is among the first to act as a smart city. By 2025 it is aimed to provide high speed broadband internet connection to the whole city. For this reason, the world’s largest and fastest Wi-Fi network is designed in New York. In New York, where traffic is a major problem, a large sensor and camera network has been installed to monitor certain points that are constantly jammed. Thanks to the first studies, the time spent in traffic is reduced by 10%. The work on this will continue even further. “Acoustic weapon sound monitoring system” has been established at certain points in New York. When a weapon is fired, the system detects the sound and immediately sends a warning to the nearest police officers’ smartphones.
Dubai also ranked among the smartest cities in the world. What is your favorite smart city? 🙂