4 Amazing Trends that are Shaping Smart Cities
Technology is advancing at a rapid pace and cities keep becoming smarter and smarter. Whether the new trends involve kicking out some outdated solutions or introducing new activities and smart devices, there’s no doubt modern cities look completely different in 2019 from how they did before. With that said, let’s take a look at some of the most amazing trends that are shaping smart cities.
An increased number of electric vehicles
Electric vehicles have been around for quite some time now but gas-powered ones are still a preferred choice of many. After the popularity of green vehicles waxed and waned following their introduction, it seems that this type of vehicle is making a comeback. As the entire world moves towards more sustainable living, more and more cities are investing in refueling infrastructure for electric vehicles. In fact, some major cities are even encouraging both individuals and businesses to install EV refueling systems as they want it to become a part of every residential and commercial building. This means your property is no longer the only place where you can recharge your EV, which makes buying one a much better idea.
New ways to pay for stuff
If you’ve been paying attention, chances are you noticed fewer and fewer people using cash. Mobile payments are constantly gaining more attention and we may soon witness a full switch to mobile payments. And we’re not only talking about credit cards and other traditional payment methods. People now use their smartphones to pay for stuff and with the emergence of digital currencies, they may begin to do it even more. This isn’t only more convenient for customers but for businesses and cities as well. Some cities have already piloted cashless bus routes, thus helping speed up the entire process and allowing people to arrive at their destinations earlier than before. It’s anticipated more and more cities will experiment with similar innovations.
Smarter city lights
Just think about the amounts of energy consumed by streetlights in any given city. With green living becoming a thing, it was natural for these cities to start looking for ways to reduce the amount of energy used for streetlights. This is exactly why authorities in major cities are upgrading to LED lights. Just by turning to an LED public lighting manufacturer, authorities in any city can reduce the carbon footprint of their streetlights and even save money along the way. Not to mention that there are smart technologies that can send a report as soon as a streetlight goes out, allowing the experts to change them as soon as possible. This also helps reduce maintenance and repair costs.
The emergence of 5G
Smart cities and Internet of Things go hand in hand. Every device that makes a city smarter needs to be connected to other devices so that they could “communicate” and make better decisions. This is where Internet of Things comes in, providing the perfect body of communicating devices. The good news is that Internet of Things continues to improve, allowing all these devices to take better actions and come up with smart solutions to our everyday problems. 5G technology is becoming a thing and it’s bound to create a friendlier Internet of Things ecosystem. With 5G, the number of devices connected to the Internet of Things is expected to increase and cities will continue to become smarter.
Final thoughts
With so many options available, there are a number of ways cities can become more efficient, save money, and most importantly, improve the lives of their citizens. Expect them to keep planning ahead and becoming even smarter in the future.
