4 minute read
The Rise of Smart Cities
Recent advances in technology have changed many aspects of modern living. For example, refrigerators, thermostats, and other devices use the internet to turn information into data that improves user experiences. Systems of interrelated internet-connected objects, known as the internet of things, have not only changed the way we live as individuals, but have also altered how cities grow and operate. Specifically, city administrators have developed ways to collect and employ data to create “smart cities” that provide people that work and live in urban areas with a better quality of life.
CITIES MUST MEET certain requirements to become smart. Specifically, they must have a widespread ability to collect physical information and convert it into a digital format. Therefore, they need systems that can operate together, exchange data, and use the information that is exchanged, which requires citywide wireless networks and fixed broadband that provides internet access to various apparatuses. They must also have numerous devices that are connected to the internet and can exchange data with other systems, like traffic lights, sensors, and vehicles. In addition to the ability to collect information, smart cities need platforms and applications that can develop and deploy support solutions, physical or virtual centers where data is managed and stored, and infrastructure that allows for the transmission of information over a variety of networks.
Smart buildings are another critical component of smart cities. Typically, they use sensors, microchips, and actuators to control and regulate their water, electrical, security, and HVAC systems. They also employ data to learn tenant preferences and monitor occupant activity. Smart buildings can connect a person’s physical and electronic identity and automate operational building technologies such as security, climate control, and lighting, allowing for more efficient use of resources and utilities.
The goal of smart cities is to apply data to improve operations and develop solutions for situations that ordinarily present challenges in urban areas. For example, smart cities can reduce traffic by using traffic patterns collected from mobile maps to provide motorists with directions that offer the quickest route to a destination. They can also apply information obtained from traffic lights to change the lights’ timing to cut down on congestion during rush hour. Additionally, smart cities can apply technology to deal with waste problems, like using trash cans that notify waste management companies when garbage needs to be collected. Smart garbage containers can also be used to reduce waste and incentivize recycling by providing digital rebates to people who deposit recyclable materials. Technology can help urban planners and developers as well, as they can use data obtained from devices throughout smart cities to create virtual buildings so that they can identify and tackle potential problems before they become realities.
The advantages of using smart technology in urban areas is widely recognized. Therefore, in December 2015 the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) launched its Smart City Challenge, asking cities across the country to submit ideas for using technology to facilitate travel. Seventy-eight cities applied to the challenge and seven cities were selected to work with the DOT to cultivate their ideas. The applicant cities were diverse but largely faced similar issues, like inefficient parking, extended travel times for workers who commute in and out of the city, increased costs associated with delays in transporting goods, and excessive carbon emissions. While only a handful of cities were chosen as finalists, the DOT shared the technological solutions they developed, so that they can be implemented throughout the nation to allow all people, not just those who are technologically savvy, to enjoy all of the positive aspects of city life.
While there are many benefits to becoming a smart city, there are also downsides, and urban developers must take measures to mitigate the dangers associated with the technology used to develop smart buildings and smart cities. For example, smart buildings and cities face a substantial risk of security breaches, ransomware and siegeware attacks. If hackers take control of a smart building’s network, they can render the building virtually inoperable, shutting down climate control and security and lighting systems, and preventing people from entering the building. Similarly, cyberattacks that attack a city’s wireless networks or electric grid can lead to disastrous consequences, causing a widespread inability to function for businesses and facilities. Cyberattacks not only pose a threat to the material operations of a smart city, but also can lead to the unintentional disclosure of private information of the city’s residents.
Hackers often employ complex and sophisticated technology, and the more technology a city uses, the higher the relative degree of risk of a cyberattack. Therefore, developers and municipal administrators that want to enjoy the benefits of smart cities without placing businesses and residents at risk must make cybersecurity a priority. They should maintain up to date systems with the latest versions of software and hire security experts experienced in protecting various networks.
They must also be aware of their legal duties with regard to preventing breaches. Privacy and data security laws have developed throughout the country in response to threats that arise with technological advances, and currently many states impose an obligation on any party that collects data from individuals to take reasonable proactive security measures to protect the information from unintended disclosure, use, modification, or access.
